Amazon Prime Day drives all online sales up 6.1%, missing estimate
Amazon said the first day of the sale was the biggest in its history and that shoppers purchased more than 375 million items over two days.
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Merchants express concerns about Michigan Street ‘road-diet’ plan
At least seven business owners gathered at the corner of Michigan and Holmes Avenue with concerns about the economic impact of the “traffic-calming” project’s construction process, the removal of parking spaces and other issues.
IBJ Podcast: Fast-growing MOTW Coffee and Pastries expanding to Chicago with pro-Muslim message
Sajjad Shah tells host Mason King that within five years, he hopes to have 40 to 50 coffee shops in the U.S.—a mix of company-owned and franchised locations.
Local coffeeshop chain planning aggressive U.S. expansion
Owner Sajjad Shah Shah self-funded the first four MOTW shops without any debt or investors, but the company is working to clear hurdles to become eligible for franchising as well.
Indiana attorney general criticizes Target for Pride merchandise
The letter signed by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and the the attorney generals of six other states expresses legal concerns over Target’s “possible violation of fiduciary duties.”
Chilly Water Brewing plans Greenwood location
Chilly Water is targeting a late-August opening in a 1,200-square-foot space that adds a Johnson County location to two existing spots in Indianapolis..
Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana to lead Puerto Rico expansion
By 2024, Goodwill aims to establish three stores in Puerto Rico and have 40 to 80 employees working on the Caribbean island.
Amid proxy war, Noble Roman’s delays shareholders meeting
Indianapolis-based Noble Roman’s s in a heated battle with one of its biggest shareholders over whether CEO Scott Mobley should remain on the restaurant company’s board of directors.
Bogus online reviews targeted by regulators with new, proposed bans
The Federal Trade Commission proposed a new rule Friday that would ban paying for reviews, suppressing honest reviews, selling fake social media engagement and more.
Noble Roman’s sparring with investor over proposed leadership shake-up
West Fargo, North Dakota-based restaurant operator BT Brands Inc. filed a proxy statement this month asking shareholders to vote for its own CEO, Gary Copperud, rather than reelect Noble Roman’s CEO Scott Mobley to the five-member Noble Roman’s board.
Heath Outdoor owners plan brewery and distillery near Box Factory
Heath Outdoor is billing their new-look campus, which includes Digs Garden Center, as The Yard at North Mass.
Meatball specialty restaurant closes its Fashion Mall location
The closure of the Fashion Mall location comes less than two years after the Mimi Blue restaurant in Carmel ceased operations. The locally owned business has one remaining restaurant.
Simon expands availability of mall-wide online search tool
Simon Search, which is accessible via Simon’s website and app, and at in-mall digital directories, allows users to browse multiple stores’ inventories at once.
Retail sales rise 0.3%, helped by stronger sales at auto dealers
Spending increased at online retailers and at restaurants and bars. Department stores, electronic stores, and furniture stores also posted increases.
Missouri-based Wally’s planning mega travel center off I-65 in Whitestown
Plans call for the business to feature a 45,000-square-foot store with a food court, gift shop, convenience store and restrooms; 80 gas pumps; and 15 to 20 electric vehicle charging stations.
Inside the massive new Walmart fulfillment center in McCordsville
Walmart on Thursday will host a ceremonial grand opening for the 2.2 million-square-foot, three-story facility, which will eventually employ up to 1,000 people.
Bud Light, top U.S. seller since 2001, loses sales crown after backlash
Mexican lager Modelo Especial overtook Bud Light in U.S. retail dollar sales in the month ending June 3.
Made in Indiana: Chocolate by South Bend Chocolate Co.
As a young boy working in his father’s candy store in the 1970s, Mark Tarner got an early taste of the sweet life.
Hotel Tango Distillery closing tasting rooms in Zionsville, Fort Wayne
Hotel Tango Distillery’s Fort Wayne location that opened in 2020 and a Zionsville location that opened in 2021 are closing.
Circle Centre adding new street-level restaurant, food-court tenant
A sushi restaurant plans to take over Circle Centre space at the southeast corner of Illinois Street and Maryland Street that was previously occupied by Primanti Bros. Meanwhile, a vegan eatery is slated for the food court.