Down the Road

Photographs and stories by Jim Grey

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single frame: Harry & Izzy’s

Jim Grey
15 comments on single frame: Harry & Izzy’s
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Harry & Izzy's

Harry & Izzy’s
Zeiss Ikon Contessa LK
Ilford FP4 Plus
Ilford ID-11 1+1
2021

Despite what it says over the door, Harry & Izzy’s is a steakhouse. This building only used to be a jeweler’s. Actually, only the facade still stands here — a new building was built behind it. Harry & Izzy’s is part of the sprawling Downtown Indianapolis mall, Circle Centre.

Margaret and I had a Downtown night out not long ago. We saw a play and had dinner. Service wasn’t great so we didn’t linger for an after-dinner drink. The bar at Harry & Izzy’s had exactly two seats open, so that’s where we went.

Clearly, Margaret and I have relaxed our COVID restrictions. We are placing faith in our vaccines. When I’m eligible for a booster, I’ll get it straightaway.

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Comments

15 responses to “single frame: Harry & Izzy’s”

  1. Lone Primate Avatar
    Lone Primate

    That is a delightful storefront. Do you mean to say it survived from a previous age to be incorporated into a mall? That would be spectacular.

    I notice you’re too much of a gent to say quite where the service was poor. :)

    I’m with you on the boosters. I’ll be getting one as soon as the province lowers the threshold to my age group.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      When Circle Centre Mall was built Downtown, they gutted a bunch of buildings to the facades, and built an entirely new building with the facades intact. It allowed Downtown to look largely as it always had, while providing something brand new.

      Reply
      1. Michael Avatar
        Michael

        Interesting. That would seem more expensive to me than gutting the building itself and rebuilding within its shell as I did my house, but perhaps the shell wouldn’t have been large enough for the new usage.

        You make it sound in another comment like the poor service wasn’t simply because of being short-staffed. It would be a shame if that is the norm for them.

        Reply
        1. Jim Grey Avatar
          Jim Grey

          I don’t actually know what the poor service was caused by. We didn’t hang around to find out!

          Reply
  2. brandib1977 Avatar
    brandib1977

    Gorgeous facade and I love their sign. Jim, I always look forward to your posts and I think it’s because they’re often positive. You focus on the good of venturing out, of looking forward to a booster and on the good rather than bash (or even tell us about) the place with poor service. Your blog is a breath of fresh air.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      I try hard to be positive on this blog because I’m not in real life. I’m a bit of a complainer, actually. One of the things I use this blog for is to reframe my life experiences in a more positive light. It’s still truth, just from a different perspective.

      Reply
      1. brandib1977 Avatar
        brandib1977

        That’s smart. It’s easy to fall into a cycle of negativity. It isn’t so easy to see the world from a more positive perspective. Good for you!

        Reply
        1. Andy Umbo Avatar
          Andy Umbo

          Ha Ha, many times, only the ‘disgruntled’ change things and get things done! I’ve always agreed with this:

          https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/eating-mindfully/201911/the-tyranny-the-positive-attitude

          Reply
  3. Andy Umbo Avatar
    Andy Umbo

    Always love when they leave the façade! I remember driving around a lot when I lived in Chicago last in the late 80’s, and seeing construction companies shoring up exteriors on Clark Street, while tearing off the backs and rebuilding. Always thought it was a sharp concept.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Nicest to preserve whole buildings, but this is a nice consolation.

      Reply
  4. Doug Anderson Avatar
    Doug Anderson

    Is the clock working? It looks pretty bright out for 6:30 in Indianapolis.

    We try to cut restaurants a break because of the staffing issues all of them in our area are experiencing. When we eat out it is never on a Friday or Saturday or a Sunday brunch. Most often we go for lunch, but when we do go for dinner it is always early in the dinner service.

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      I shot this over my lunch hour, so that clock has stopped!

      We are cutting restaurants a break as well. But the bar in the place we had dinner was kind of a disaster area and we couldn’t get waited on. After a while, you just give up and move on.

      Reply
  5. kennethwajda Avatar
    kennethwajda

    Perfect in black and white! Nice!

    Reply
    1. Jim Grey Avatar
      Jim Grey

      Thank you! Sometimes a straight-on shot works well.

      Reply
      1. Andy Umbo Avatar
        Andy Umbo

        Straight On architectural shot is always my favorite…you really don’t see it much!

        Reply

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