Indianapolis, IN
Looking for a room in Indianapolis? Stay with Freddy, Jason and Beetlejuice — if you dare
Take a video tour inside this horror-themed Indy Airbnb
Owner Dennis Brackenridge narrates a video tour of his newest Airbnb project. A horror-themed motel attached to a coffeeshop.
Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar
Typically, you don’t want to think about murder when staying at an Airbnb. Those noises you hear at night are just the rumblings of an unfamiliar home. Probably.
But for one unique Fountain Square rental, horror-movie scenarios are part of the appeal.
For more than a year, Dennis Brackenridge has poured his time and money into nailing the details on a property much different than the 100 or so he owns around the city.
“I might have spent $1 million on this place,” Brackenridge said. “I’m at the point in my career where I just want to have fun.”
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For a half-century before Brackenridge purchased the building at 1122 Shelby St., the space was known for true, real horror.
It was a dental office.
“We found people’s teeth still in here when we got the place,” Brackenridge recalled.
He gutted the building with dual goals in mind: A short-term rental home based around classic and modern horror films, and an adjoining café themed around the same.
Black House Café and new Airbnb reach Indy’s horror fans
Black House Café opened last month, with drinks like the Never Sleep Again (an almond-milk horchata and espresso mix) and the Booberry (a banana and blueberry smoothie). Its detailed horror décor — fake newspaper clippings, a Jigsaw doll, a “Gremlins”-themed bathroom complete with a life-sized gremlin prop — quickly became a popular Instagram haunt.
A giant mural featuring the nearby Fountain Square Theatre façade and Brackenridge’s children fleeing Freddy Kreuger points the way to “dreams and coffee.”
But on the other side of the building, subtler and uncanny paintings of Norman Bates and Brackenridge in full Bates Motel bellhop garb welcome prospective guests to the rental space.
Another themed rental option: Immersive ‘Stranger Things’-themed suite turns a Bloomington hotel into the Upside Down
Sleeping among killers like Dracula and Freddy Krueger
The makeshift home features three bedrooms, themed after “Friday the 13th,” “Scream” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” and two-and-a-half bathrooms, with “Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Dracula” and an immaculate “Ghostbusters.”
Local muralist Pamela Bliss, who painted the Kurt Vonnegut and Reggie Miller murals, worked on the building’s exterior. Graffiti artist Slice painted the interior, which includes a massive Beetlejuice in snake form along the living room and a perfect Stay Puft Marshmallow Man in the “Ghostbusters” bathroom.
A large wooden and repurposed metal dining room table was made locally, as was a coffin-shaped cabinet. Brackenridge and his team spent months stocking the place with much smaller details, as well: A realistic mask of Beetlejuice’s head, Camp Crystal Lake pillows, a succulent planter shaped like Chucky.
Brackenridge had originally planned to convert the space into some sort of 4-D interactive movie theater but pivoted to the horror themed rental and café. He is also planning a gangster-themed café in Irvington, with Bliss on board to paint a John Dillinger mural.
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The rental will be available for $275 per weekday and $345 per weekend day, with a two-night minimum. It will host a free open house from noon to 3 p.m. on Jan. 20, and reservations officially open on Jan. 22. Brackenridge recommends booking directly through Instagram at @indys_fletcherplace_experience, but it will be available through Airbnb and other services.
Future plans to enhance, expand rental and café
Brackenridge is also working on a rooftop patio for the rental unit, but it won’t be ready for this month’s launch.
Black House Café will also expand its indoor seating area. Manager Mari Ramirez Reyes said she and Brackenridge originally conceived of it as a walk-up space, but the unique look has lent to folks sitting around awhile.
“It has been wild,” Ramirez Reyes said. “People love the theme and the vibe. We didn’t know it would be so popular.”
Brackenridge hopes access to the café and Fountain Square draws like the Hi-Fi will add to his rental’s appeal. But the plan is to lean into the niche horror audience.
“It really breaks up the monotony,” Brackenridge said. “You are definitely not at home.”
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Rory Appleton is the pop culture reporter at IndyStar. Contact him at 317-552-9044 and rappleton@indystar.com, or follow him on Twitter at @RoryEHAppleton.
The Indianapolis Colts host the Detroit Lions in NFL Week 12 action.
The game will be shown on Fox in four NFL markets: Indianapolis Detroit, Cleveland and Cincinnati. The vast majority of Michigan, Indiana and Ohio will get the broadcast, as well as slivers of Illinois and Kentucky.
When do the Colts play the Lions in NFL Week 12?
1 p.m. ET Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
How to watch Colts vs Lions in NFL Week 12
Fox, with Kenny Albert (play-by-play), Jonathan Vilma (analysis) and Megan Olivi (sideline reporting).
How to stream, watch Lions-Colts game for NFL Week 12
The Colts-Lions matchup will stream on Fox Sports app at 1 p.m. ET Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. The app is available in the Apple App Store or on Google Play. Fans can also download NFL+ in the Apple App Store or on Google Play.
How to listen to NFL Week 12 Lions-Colts game on radio, streaming
Radio: 93.5, 97.1, 107.5 FM in Indianapolis, with Matt Taylor (play-by-play), Rick Venturi (analysis) and Larra Overton (sideline reporting)
Streaming: SiriusXM Channels 228, 813
What a deal!: Watch Colts-Lions on Fubo (free trial)
The Indianapolis Colts (5-6) have arguably their toughest test of the 2024 season this Sunday as they host the Detroit Lions (9-1) at 1:00 p.m. E.T. at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Lions are revered as one of the best teams in the NFL, but it’s important to find out more about them ahead of time beyond what’s commonly known nationally. Are there areas the Colts can take advantage of to provide fans some hope, or are the Lions the giants they are perceived to be?
This week, Horseshoe Huddle exchanged questions with John Maakaron of Detroit Lions On SI to uncover more. Check out HH‘s answers for Lions On SI here!
HH: Jared Goff is playing out of his mind this year. What do you think is the biggest thing that Ben Johnson and Goff are leaning into to reach that level of efficiency?
JM: The Lions have placed an emphasis on taking care of the ball, and outside of the game against Houston, Goff has been very good at that. That’s not to say that he only makes safe throws, as the veteran quarterback has pushed the ball downfield as well. He also has several talented route runners around him, as they are able to beat coverages and get open on what seems like every play. All of this adds up to Goff being able to put the ball wherever he wants it, whenever he wants it.
HH: Given the short distance and indoor playing facility, this probably won’t feel like a typical road game for the Lions, but how differently do they play on the road versus at home?
JM: The Lions’ fans have traveled very well over the last several seasons, and with Indianapolis being a relatively short distance away, it’s likely that many fans make the trip. The team feeds off the energy that its fan base provides, and the fans take pride in making road stadiums feel like Ford Field. As a result, the Lions have played with a little extra edge in their road games.
HH: Is there a weak link on that Lions offensive line?
JM: When everyone is healthy, the Lions’ offensive line is one of the best units in the league. There have been some struggles at points this season, but overall, the unit has been solid and has lived up to expectations. Taylor Decker had some struggles for a stretch but looked better after returning from injury last week. As a whole, there are few issues with the group, but pass protection can always be improved upon.
What happens next for the Colts? Don’t miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Colts news delivered to your inbox daily!
HH: How is the Lions defense at defending the pass over the middle of the field?
JM: This is an area that the Colts can test on Sunday, as veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone will be out for the first of what is expected to be between six-to-eight weeks. Jack Campbell fits the physical profile of an ideal middle linebacker with his size, but has room to grow in coverage. Still, the safety tandem of Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph has been elite this season and will make throwing the ball difficult, particularly over the middle of the field where both often lurk.
HH: Who wins and why?
JM: The Lions are hoping to get their ninth consecutive win. The Colts present a unique challenge with Anthony Richardson’s rushing abilities, as well as the threat he presents with his arm. However, he has been mistake-prone, and Branch and Joseph feed off mistakes. On offense, Detroit has been able to run the ball effectively for most of the season regardless of opponent, and this opens up the passing game. Indianapolis challenges early, but the Lions make enough plays to win comfortably: Lions 35, Colts 17
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The Indianapolis Colts need everything they can to defeat the Detroit Lions at Lucas Oil Stadium tomorrow afternoon. While there are plenty of players to highlight in this cross-conference battle, all Colts fans’ eyes will be on quarterback Anthony Richardson and whether he can build on a solid week 11 victory. Bleacher Report‘s Brad Gagnon believes this game against the mighty Lions will be a big one for Richardson’s outlook.
Is the sudden resurgence of Anthony Richardson a sign of things to come or an aberrational performance from a dude who is talented enough to put those together on occasion? Sunday’s matchup with the Lions will be telling.
– Brad Gagnon | Bleacher Report
Richardson can’t let up with Detroit, as the Lions have an impressive 14 interceptions led by safeties Kerby Joseph (7 interceptions) and Brian Branch (4 interceptions). The Lions also boast a solid run defense, ranking 5th in the NFL with 94.8 yards allowed per contest. In short, while the Lions’ defense is exploitable without defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and linebacker Alex Anzalone, they still take the football away from reckless passers.
What happens next for the Colts? Don’t miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Colts news delivered to your inbox daily!
How Richardson plays at home tomorrow against arguably the Super Bowl favorites will paint somewhat of a picture of what type of quarterback he can be. The Colts offense has great weapons like Jonathan Taylor, Josh Downs, Michael Pittman Jr., and Alec Pierce to help Richardson progress Shane Steichen’s attack. Still, it will need to be at 100mph to keep up with a scary Lions offense led by coordinator Ben Johnson and quarterback Jared Goff.
The Colts are still in the mix for a playoff hunt in the AFC but will probably see their toughest game of 2024 when Detroit visits the Circle City. The Lions’ brutalizing offense has put up 52 points on two occasions this year (Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars), so the Colts can’t afford many miscues on offense or defense. However, Richardson’s performance will likely decide if the Colts are or aren’t in the game.
Want more Colts content? Check out the latest episode of the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast!
Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook and X, and subscribe on YouTube for multiple Colts live-stream podcasts per week.
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