A Sweet Find in Fortville: Indulge

10 S. Main St. is the address of an old five-and-dime store in downtown Fortville that has been transformed into a lively ice cream parlor and art gallery. A quick drive from the northeast side of Indy, where Hamilton, Marion and Hancock counties merge, is where you will find this great little town and this sweet-tooth hangout.

At the aptly named Indulge, the star is a late-'40s soda fountain complete with spinning stools. That's where guests can order up all kinds of confections, from ice cream to fizzy drinks to candy. Indulge is open daily.

Owner Lenzy Hendrix, a Fortville native, converted the building into a "grown-up spot where you can bring the kids" and, well, indulge a bit. He describes it as a place "where Lady Gaga fuses with Willie Wonka."

Couches and chairs invite guests to linger over their coffee or handmade malts, milk shakes, sodas and cherry Cokes. Behind the fountain, candy is on display, from kids' favorites like M&M's and suckers to gourmet chocolates and truffles, sourced from Good's Candy Shop in Anderson. For a surreal Willie Wonka – style treat, order an ice cream sandwich made with ginormous cookies, made in house.

Indulge is also home to an eclecticart marketplace that evokes Lady Gaga and changes seasonally. Twelve local artists display and sell their wares.

Hendrix tells of the venue's original owners who, in 1948, opened the five-and-dime with the same soda fountain. The Heche brothers created a signature drink that Hendrix still serves today – the marshmallow Coke. This delicious concoction comes with a dose of drama: The drink could burst in your face if it's not made correctly, by placing a straw in the Coke prior to ladling on the marshmallow cream.