REPEAL RESTAURANT, June 2015 opening

Repeal restaurant, located at 630 Virginia Ave. in the former Virginia Avenue State Bank building, is finalizing preparations for their grand opening in June 2015. Named after the repeal of prohibition in 1933, the ‘spirited restaurant’ will offer period-themed lunch and dinner offerings paired with craft cocktails featuring locally-distilled spirits from 12.05 Distillery and locally-sourced ingredients.
 
Repeal is owned and operated by Bill and Teresa Webster. Bill recently retired from Eli Lilly and Co. and is an owner of Fountain Square Brewing Co. Teresa owns neighboring 12.05 Distillery, the only solely woman-owned distillery in Indiana. She spent time as the brewery’s sales manager and has a background in real estate.
 
Joining the Repeal restaurant family is General Manager Andy Porter, highly-regarded mixologist Eli Sanchez and Chef de Cuisine Blake Ellis. Porter is a Muncie, Ind. native and has 18 years of front and back of house restaurant experience. He previously worked at Black Market and as a Chef Instructor at Ivy Tech Community College. Porter received formal training at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute. Sanchez, an Indianapolis native, has been hired as the Bar Manager and hails from local establishments Ball & Biscuit and Pure Eatery. Plainfield, Ind. native, Ellis, previously worked at Tinker Street and Black Market.
 
Extensive research was done to create a menu that reflects food served in the 1930s and 1940s with a focus on a la carte items with simple, well-prepared proteins and twists on classic sides. Menu items will be locally-sourced when possible.
 
Repeal restaurant will feature spirits made from adjacent 12.05 (“Twelve Oh Five”) Distillery, whose namesake is the date prohibition was repealed on December 5, 1933. The distillery’s 20-plate copper system is artfully operated by experienced distiller, Brad Colver, to assure high-quality spirits. Colver is an Indiana native who spent several years in Colorado at Breckenridge Distillery, Peach Street Distillery and Deerhammer Distilling Company and Chicago-based Koval Distillery. 12.05 Distillery began distributing in December of 2014 and currently distributes to more than 100 restaurants and stores statewide.
 
Repeal restaurant and 12.05 Distillery are housed within the former Virginia Avenue State Bank property in Historic Fletcher Place. Complete with the original terra cotta exterior, the Websters are only the third owners since the building was constructed in 1924.  Through period décor and finishings, the restaurant will capture the essence of the prohibition-era and will celebrate the right to legally drink quality spirits.
 
Repeal restaurant hours will be: Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. – last seating at 10 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. for brunch only complete with a Bloody Mary bar.