FRANKLIN, Ind. -- Big changes are coming to the restaurant scene along Jefferson Street in downtown Franklin, Indiana.
The shakeup centers around one of the bigger facilities that currently houses a brewery and barbecue joint. Former Franklin Mayor Fred Paris transformed a building in his hometown at 176 Jefferson St. into the site of Shale Creek Brewery and Triple Play BBQ.
Owners Mike and Jenny Baker operate the brewery side of the building and have since 2015. This new option for patrons in downtown Franklin came right along with the completion of the massive facade improvement project, and now the completion of the Jefferson Street update along that stretch.
To accommodate the brewery, Paris and his investors developed Triple Play BBQ -- a temporary establishment to serve lunch and dinner to compliment the brewery, although the businesses themselves remained separate. And now, as Shale Creek is up and running and able to start up its own kitchen and menu, Triple Play is closing. But this change is making way for the return of another classic place for food.
Anyone familiar with downtown Franklin is likely also familiar with the Historic Don & Dona's Restaurant. This restaurant, specializing in breakfast food, used to sit on Jefferson Street east of Paris' location.
It closed shop a few years ago, but now owners Kathy Barnaby and Chris Nix signed an agreement to open back up inside the building with Shale Creek plus another new tenant, which will be a retail location. The retail shop is called Hoosier Heritage Craft, and this is their second location, with the first in Ninevah.
Don and Dona's has a history in downtown Franklin. In the interim before their grand reopening, they are offering customers biscuits and gravy for carry-out and delivery on weekends.
