Indianapolis, IN
Fogo de Chao team opens Brazilian steakhouse in Indianapolis
Chi-Chi’s to reopen restaurants after shutting down 20 years ago
Chi-Chi’s Mexican restaurant chain plans 2025 comeback after 20-year hiatus, seeking to revive the nostalgic brand under new ownership.
Straight Arrow News
Indianapolis has a new all-you-can-eat Brazilian steakhouse.
Florida-based Terra Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse opened at Fashion Mall Commons, 8487 Union Chapel Rd., last week.
Fans of Fogo de Chao will be familiar with the concept that has servers roaming the dining room to slice slow-roasted meats onto plates tableside and the availability of an all-you-can-eat hot and cold food bar with cured meats, cheeses, salads, soups and sides.
The Terra Gaucha owners are former Fogo de Chao restaurants, said native Brazilian Paulo Simonetti, one of the four founders.
Simonetti spent 23 years at Fogo de Chao for 23 years, having joined the company in 2001 when it operated only three stores.
His team launched Terra Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse in 2015 in Jacksonville, Florida. The Indianapolis store is the company’s fourth.
Of the two largest churrascaria chains – Fogo de Chao and Texas de Brazil – only Fogo has a location in Indiana, an Indianapolis restaurant at 117 E. Washington.
Terra Gaucha menu
Diners will find some items not offered at Fogo de Chao.
Lobster bisque is a soup option along with pork belly feijoada on the food bar.
Unique items include lettuce wedge salads, cake made with corn flour and a banana cream.
Servers there bring around grilled salmon and beef ribs are sliced tableside. Grilled pineapple coated in cinnamon and brown sugar is another offering.
Terra Gaucha cost
The full all-you-can eat meats experience in Indianapolis is $59.95 per adult for dinner Monday through Friday and $49.95 for brunch on Saturday and Sunday. A chicken and seafood dinner option is available for $41.95 Monday through Friday and $38.95 on weekends.
The all-you-can-eat food bar alone for dinner is $29.95.
The full meats experience for lunch Monday through Friday is $39.95, with the chicken and seafood option at $31.95, and the food bar alone at $19.95.
The Indianapolis restaurant, which seats about 300 people and has private dining rooms for meetings, operates seven days a week.
Terra Gaucha will be open for dine-in service on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
For more information, visit terragaucha.com.
Indianapolis, IN
When is Indianapolis Colts first pick in 2026 NFL draft?
Without a first round selection, when is the Indianapolis Colts’ first pick in the 2026 NFL draft?
Looking ahead to the 2026 NFL draft, what selections do the Indianapolis Colts have this year?
With a record of 8-9, the Colts finished the 2025 season with the 16th-best record. However, they won’t be picking at 16th overall in the first round.
In order to acquire cornerback Sauce Gardner from the Jets, the Colts traded away their 2026 and 2027 first-round draft picks to New York.
So the first time that the Colts will be on the clock come April is in Round 2 and with the 47th overall pick, according to Tankathon.
In total, the Colts currently have five draft picks in 2026. Along with trading away their first-rounder, GM Chris Ballard also traded the Colts’ sixth-round draft pick as part of the trade that brought Mekhi Blackmon over from Minnesota.
- Round 2, pick 47
- Round 3, pick 78
- Round 4, pick 113
- Round 5, pick 154
- Round 7, pick 230
Now, the Colts are projected to receive two compensatory picks in the sixth and seventh rounds. This would bring the Colts’ total number of selections up to seven.
According to Over the Cap, those picks will be awarded to the Colts for EJ Speed and Joe Flacco leaving in free agency last offseason.
At this time, however, those compensatory picks have not yet been made official by the NFL.
NFL.com lists quarterback, linebacker, defensive linemen, and offensive tackle as the Colts’ biggest offseason needs.
Indianapolis, IN
Indiana lawmaker proposes state takeover of public safety downtown
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana General Assembly returned to session Monday, and one bill filed by an Indianapolis Republican aims to address crime in downtown Indianapolis. The bill would allow for the state to step in to address violent crime in the downtown area.
“We have had people from Sweden who were killed that were in the military,” State Sen. Mike Young, R-Indianapolis, said. “We’ve had hotels shot up from outside. People killed on the street, especially on the canal. It’s a beautiful place, but people are scared.”
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Indiana lawmaker proposes state takeover of public safety downtown
Young filed Senate Bill 145, which would give the governor authority to provide adequate law enforcement services within downtown starting in 2027. Young said he would first try to negotiate with the mayor, but if no agreement is reached, Indiana State Police would assume all law enforcement services within the district. The district would include the Mile Square, Victory Field, Lucas Oil Stadium, Military Park, American Legion Mall, the U.S.S. Indianapolis National Memorial and related facilities such as parking lots.
“Now we are not doing this as a state on the taxpayers’ dime. Since the city won’t be paying as much, they have law enforcement duties. We are going to use some of the tax dollars that the state would send to Indianapolis, and we will hold those back for the cost we have. And hopefully it will be even cheaper,” Young said.
The bill would also allow the governor to appoint a special prosecutor for crimes committed downtown, taking that authority from the Marion County prosecutor.
Photo Courtesy: Downtown Indianapolis Inc.
WRTV reached out to several downtown organizations, the city and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
The Downtown Indy Alliance was unavailable for an interview but provided a statement:
“Public safety is critical to the continued success and vibrancy of Downtown, and we believe this work is best accomplished when partners are working collaboratively. Over the last several years, we have seen great strides in increased cooperation and communication, thanks in part to the work of the Marion County Crime Reduction Board, as well as the leadership of state and local law enforcement officers.
The results of such efforts are clear — in December, IMPD reported that violent crime was down nearly 8% and overall crime down more than 9% in the Downtown District. As conversations continue at the Statehouse, our focus remains on supporting collaboration and data-driven strategies that contribute to a safe and welcoming Downtown for residents, workers, and employers.”
The mayor’s office also issued a statement:
“This is not the first time we’ve seen an extreme proposal pointed at Indianapolis. And while the City is always happy to collaborate with the Governor and the State to improve Indianapolis, the notion that the State would take over public safety responsibilities Downtown is a step too far.”
WRTV/ Otis Jones
IMPD said they will follow the legislation closely and continue to operate as usual. Young said the proposal reflects what constituents want.
“They want to be safe when they come to our capital city and downtown,” Young said.
The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office did not respond before our deadline. The bill has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Courts and Criminal Law, where it awaits a hearing.
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Indianapolis, IN
Farewell to Circle Centre and more: See what opened, closed to end 2025
Several shops closing in Circle Centre Mall in Indianapolis
Small business owners with stores inside Circle Centre Mall said they received lease terminations that they would need to move out by Dec. 31.
As the year came to an end, so did the annual carousel of stores opening and closing around Indianapolis.
Multiple beloved shops, including a giftware store in Fountain Square and a local bookstore near the Devington area, closed at the end of the year due to personal decisions or financial difficulties. Meanwhile, a streetwear shop opened in Castleton Square Mall, and the last tenants in Circle Centre Mall said their farewells before the shopping center closed for a yearslong redevelopment.
Here’s what retail stores opened and closed in December 2025.
Openings
Indianapolis Liberation Center
1619 Prospect St., indyliberationcenter.org, opened Dec. 5
The Indianapolis Liberation Center opened its permanent physical storefront last month to serve as a community space and organizing hub on the near southeast side. Founded in 2021, the Center brings together organizers and community groups to train activists and host events.
“With a physical store that’s a one-stop shop for organizers and activists — including a diverse range of hundreds of books, unique t-shirts, buttons, stickers, posters, and more — this marks a new chapter in achieving our mission of a city and world free of division, exploitation, marginalization, and oppression,” Dani Abdullah, a lead organizer with the Center, said in a press release.
The Center is run solely by volunteers.
Circle City Souvenirs
1 S. Capitol Ave., circlecitysouvenirs.com, opened early December
Longtime souvenir store Circle City Souvenirs closed up shop in the declining Circle Centre Mall, but the Indianapolis spot didn’t go far. Circle City Souvenirs is now open in the PNC Center. Owner Kim White told IndyStar the move was bittersweet, as her store had called the mall home since 2017, but she hopes to expand the business in the new location.
PRVT
6020 E 82nd St., Castleton Square Mall, shopatprvt.com, opened early December
Streetwear clothing store PRVT opened in early December next to the Foot Locker at Castleton Square Mall. Owner Daki Glumac also runs a PRVT location at Hamilton Town Center.
Closings
Tuggle’s Gifts & Goods
1029 Virginia Ave., closed Dec. 28
Tuggle’s Gifts and Goods closed in December after five years open on Fountain Square’s main commercial strip. At the store, Brooke and Ross Tuggle sold Indianapolis-themed gifts, creative works made by Indy artists and a variety of knick-knacks.
The Tuggles closed the business to move their family to Kentucky, per a social media post.
“This decision comes from a place of love and excitement,” the Tuggles wrote in an Instagram post. “We’re choosing to slow down, spend more time together as a family, and begin a new chapter as we move to Lexington, Kentucky.”
Red Dog Books
7115 E 46th St., Facebook, closed Dec. 31
Independent bookstore Red Dog Books closed at the end of the year after low sales, multiple moves and high rent made staying open in its storefront on 46th Street unattainable. Red Dog had just opened in the space earlier in spring 2025.
The nonprofit is preparing for a permanent shutdown, unless Red Dog can find a new space with affordable rent and gain support from the community through donations and purchases, a social media post said.
“This community has shown us time and time again that miracles happen when we stand together,” owners wrote in a Facebook post. “Please don’t just remember Red Dog Books. Help us keep it alive.”
WNS Apparel, Hot Topic, Aeropostale, Freestyle, the Collector’s Den, Indy Jewelers in Circle Centre Mall
49 W. Maryland St., Circle Centre Mall, closed end of December
At the end of December, Circle Centre Mall’s last tenants left, ending a 30-year run for the downtown shopping center.
A handful of stores — including WNS Apparel, Hot Topic, Aeropostale, Freestyle, Indy Jewelers, the Collector’s Den and Circle City Souvenirs — shuttered as a result. Hendricks Commercial Properties closed down the indoor portion of the mall, including the food court, to prepare for construction as the developer begins work on its $600 million redevelopment named Traction Yards.
Traction Yards will include an elevated outdoor retail experience with space for offices, apartments and potentially a boutique hotel. The overhaul is expected to be completed in phases, with the first section opening in 2029 at the earliest.
Know a store opening or closing in your neighborhood? Contact IndyStar reporter Alysa Guffey at amguffey@usatodayco.com.
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