Put on your shopping shoes. Malls and shopping centers
located in Peru, Kokomo, and Logansport are all within 30 minutes or less from
Grissom ARB. The bigger city malls are located in Indianapolis, Lafayette and
Fort Wayne. Call the MWR Office to help you find the bigger malls. The local
sales tax is 6%.
Several locally-owned restaurants help make dining
special in Peru and Wabash:
Peru
Grant Street Bar and Grill in
Peru is 10 minutes away, located on Grant Street off Main. This
regional favorite has been named by Midwest Magazine as one of the best
restaurants in the Midwest. Chef Todd Snyder features the best
steaks, seafood, pasta and desserts, with an interesting wine cellar and a full
selection of domestic microbrews and imported beers. Grant Street
Lunch is located on Broadway in the mini-mall, Scarborough
Faire. Best kept secret: his flatbread
appetizer.
The Siding, located off Broadway after the
underpass, is decorated with antique train cars, a train station, and a dining
room. You may have lunch, dinner, or wonderful Sunday brunch in the
cars or the dining room. Full bar service, buffet and menu dining,
including Owner/Chef Ron Short's steaks, homemade desserts, and full
salad bar. Best Kept Secret: Bourbon
chicken.
Harvey Hinklemeyers' Pizza and Subs is right off Broadway before
the underpass. Specializing in delicious subs, pizza and pasta,
Harveys' has a Coke theme and a full soup and salad bar. A family
dining experience, Harvey's does not offer alcohol. Best Kept
Secret: the Hawaiian sub.
Fountain Blues, located in the back
of our Hairtique Beauty Salon on Broadway, has been a soda fountain since the
1950's and keeps that look and theme. Specialty sandwiches from area
soda fountains, hand-dipped ice cream treats, homemade desserts, and flavored
drinks and phosphates are their stock in trade, along with a friendly soda jerk
for good conversation and area gossip. Best Kept Secret: Chopped
Steak sandwiches.
De Rozier's Bakery on Broadway offers fresh donuts,
coffee and rolls first thing in the morning until 11. Best Kept
Secret: Homemade bear claws.
Keep going north on 31 for about
10 minutes to enjoy a shopper's dream come true: Tate's
Orchard. This amazing little jewel offers lunch, two fabulous gift
shops, a Christmas attic, apples and peaches in season, hand-dipped ice cream in
the gift shop soda bar, and a petting zoo. Best Kept
Secret: Apple dumpling with cinnamon ice cream.
Homer's along
the river is the pub of choice for many locals. Its deck overlooks
the Wabash River; there's often live entertainment on the weekends, and they
have a full sized bowling alley on ground level! Best Kept Secret:
Fried corn nuggets!
Wabash
Market Street Bar and
Grill, located on Market Street, has the best filet in town, succulent prime
rib, and owner Bill Gerding's specialty: drunk'n chicken. Drink
specials and a new menu each month make this a destination restaurant for
many. Best Kept Secret: chocolate martini.
Prairie Hen,
located off Market Street on Miami, offers a 1820 canal theme, complete with
specialty drinks, delicious specials, and "that salad", a favorite of the
locals. Al fresco dining and friendly service is part of the
plan. Best Kept Secret: Any of their homemade
desserts.
Eugenia's at the Honeywell Center on Market Street
serves lunch and Sunday brunch, and also offers pre-concert buffet
dining. Hoosier specialties are on the buffet or select from a full
menu of delicious selections for a unique lunch experience
unique. Great chance to look over the 1500 seat theater, as well as
the art gallery. Best Kept Secret: One of the few places
locally to serve Starbucks' coffee and tea.
Shopping
These two
towns are full of interesting specialty shops, including gifts, ladies' ready to
wear, fresh fruit, chocolates, and antiques.
Gifts
Peru has two
destination gift shops: Annie's Attic on Broadway and Victoria's
tucked away on East Third.
Annie's is a three story wonder chocked full
of Yankee Candles, home dcor, cards and stationery, ladies' boutique clothes,
and antiques. It's adjacent to the Miami County Museum on one side,
and the bakery on the other. Don't miss any of it!
Victoria's
on East Third offers Victoriana, fresh flowers and plants in one of Cole
Porter's restored homes. The parquet floor in the main salesroom is
worth the trip!
Chocolate
Arnold's Chocolate on East Main was Cole
Porter's favorite fudge, and everyone's favorite candy bar, the gold
brick. Creams, caramel corn and other treats await.
Keep going -
this is practically at the end of town.
Doud's Orchard on 19 is a drive,
but well worth it. Enjoy the best homegrown seasonal fruits, wild
mushrooms, nuts, jams and jellies and other country treats. In the
fall, don't miss his cider tasting (he always wins best in Indiana, and usually
best in the nation), fall concert series, and other special
events. An heirloom apple specialist, his fruit finds its way into
some of the best hard cider in the area, as well as to the Chicago Food
Show.
Antiques
Yesterday's Elegance on Broadway in Peru is owned
by Park Cutler, and is filled with beautiful china, crystal, artwork, and
flatware. Park is an expert at finding pieces of antique
sets. On Wabash Road just out of town, check out Keiffer's
Antiques. With a little bit of everything, find a dining room table
or a chest of drawers.
Ladies' Ready to Wear
Beauty and the
Boutique on the corner of Main and Broadway is in a beautifully-restored turn of
the century building, and offers jewelry, clothing and accessories. A
beauty salon is on premises, as well.
Wabash
Shoes
The Shoe
Store on Market Street offers name brand shoes, some at outlet prices, as well
as handbags, uniforms and accessories. Old-fashioned service is their
hallmark.
Gifts
The D Shoppe on Market is a ladies' delight:
filled with crystal, glassware, gift ware, jewelry and so much
more! The restored bank building that houses it is also worth the
trip.
Billings on Market Street has fabulous Christmas items, glass,
cards, fresh flowers, furniture and seasonal specialties, as well as Yankee
candles. This is a "see how much cool stuff we can fit into two sales
rooms" kind of a place.
Antiques
Shops are throughout the town,
but basically located on Canal and Wabash. Don't miss Canal Street
Antiques at the end of Canal Street.
Ladies Ready to Wear:
We've
saved one of the best for last: The Francis Shoppe on Market
Street! Marge Francis still does hand-tailoring like our grandmothers
enjoyed, only on such brands as Austin Reed. Another specialty;
mother of the bride to very hip formal wear. Jewelry, accessories,
and hometown service makes this store the woman's version of a "Cheers" bar.