As spring turned to summer, the Velvet Plum Vintage and Consignments in downtown Noblesville posted increasingly frantic messages on Facebook, as business suffered amid ongoing construction.
“We NEED you to still come downtown to enjoy your favorite shops, restaurants, and hang outs,” the shop wrote on April 28. The next day: “We are all OPEN today! Where are you??? We’re waiting…………………….”
The posts encouraging customers to stop by despite Logan Street construction in downtown Noblesville continued through May and June. Then, on June 22, the latest Facebook post announced Vintage Plum’s Logan Street location will be permanently closing in July.
“Unfortunately, the downtown construction has won the war and we can no longer remain open,” the shop wrote. “Sales have plummetted (sic) and no one comes in to shop these days. I know we look closed but we are actually OPEN.”
The Velvet Plum’s last day after six years in the 800 block of Logan Street will be July 15. The shop’s other location a block over at 939 Conner Street will remain open.
Logan Street construction began this February and is expected to end in November. The block-wide first phase of the project, part of the larger “Embrace Downtown” effort, aims to bring more pedestrians to the shopping area by shortening the crosswalks to create a perception of narrow streets which city officials say should slow driving. Construction is also replacing aging infrastructure, redoing landscaping and adding bike parking and artwork. The $8.1 million construction budget is funded by Noblesville, primarily from food and beverage taxes.
When construction began, Noblesville pledged to reduce the impact on business foot traffic and revenue by working in phases and launching programs to encourage shopping. Residents could get stamps from stores with each purchase and enter a full stamp sheet to win a $250 gift card.
For years, local stores have grappled with nearby downtown construction projects. In 2024, Conner Street from 14th Street to 6th Street was closed while crews tore out 100-year-old subsurface brick. Around the same time, the city rebuilt Pleasant Street and completed a new bridge over the White River to ease traffic on east-west streets in downtown.
The Noblesville Mayor’s Office and Noblesville Main Street did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the store’s closure.
Lucy Tobier is the politics reporting intern for the Indianapolis Star. She can be reached at lucy.tobier@indystar.com or on X at @TobierLucy
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Noblesville store announces closure, blaming downtown construction
Reporting by Lucy Tobier, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
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By Lucy Tobier, Indianapolis Star | USA TODAY Network
