David Vonnegut-Gabovitch, Co-owner of BRICS Co-owner with his wife Nonie and David and Jenny DuBow Tell us a little bit about your story and why you chose Broad Ripple Village to be the home of your business. I live in the area and love the Monon – running on it, walking on it with my family, enjoying the constant activity on the trail. When starting BRICS, I wanted a family-oriented, fun place for people to go to and Broad Ripple has that vibe. I love that BRICS is a neighborhood place and captures the Village feel. It’s been great to see the development in the area. How many years have you been located in Broad Ripple Village? We will have completed seven years in May 2017. How would you describe your business, and why should people visit you? We are in the people-pleasing business, we just happen to sell ice cream! BRICS has a wonderful setting being in the Village, right on the Monon, and has plenty of outdoor space on the deck. Whether it’s people walking in off the trail, families swinging by after school, or weekend regulars, we strive to make customers happy year-round. We have lots of options like vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free, with everything offered at reasonable prices. We also focus on being environmentally friendly through using glass dishes and biodegradable or recycled plastic and paper products, as well as composting when we can. Can you share with us an experience you had with a program, initiative, or interaction with the Broad Ripple Village Association that could help others understand the BRVA’s impact or mission? The Broad Ripple Village Association has some sway with the city of Indianapolis and having them sign off on something is a big deal. I go to land use committee meetings, which is made up of a group of people watching out for the area and its development. It’s good to hear other people’s ideas and concerns. There are a lot of great business owners in the area – and a good camaraderie – and the BRVA provides us a collective voice that carries a weight we wouldn’t have individually. What is your favorite thing about the Village? How about place to eat? Shop? Place to go? I like the walkability. If I was starting over, I would love to live in an apartment here. The area is improving and you can do a lot loving here – walking to dinner, shops, groceries, and entertainment. And the people; there’s a good feel here. I love hamburgers, so I’m really excited about the new BurgerFuel place opening up this year, but I enjoy 317 Burger, Fire by the Monon, and the Monon Food Company. As for shopping, I like Rusted Moon and I get my wife a present every year from Marigold. My favorite thing to do is to run or bike on the Monon; it is a fantastic amenity. What excites you about the future of Broad Ripple? I’m very excited about new apartments and people moving to the area. With changes like those and new businesses coming to the Village, people can live here, play here, and work here. I’m also excited about the continued development of the village feel. I’d like to see additional options for people to help add variety to the business options. It would be nice to give different people different reasons to come to Broad Ripple. 
Grab some ice cream from BRICS at 901 E. 64th Street off of the Monon Trail. Interested in joining or supporting the Broad Ripple Village Association? Click here!
