(La Porte, IN) - A new business is coming to the heart of downtown La Porte. A winery and bistro is going inside the old La Porte Sporting Goods store at 816 Lincolnway across from the historic courthouse.
According to Mayor Tom Dermody, the business is called Water’s Edge and Bistro and should open in nine months or less. Dawn and Rudy Melchiorre are the entrepreneurs.
Bert Cook, Executive Director of the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership, said the latest announcement continues the snowball effect of new businesses for the downtown that started a few years ago. Initially, Cook said incentive programs to acquire buildings needing work was more of a factor in attracting investors. Now, he said Investors are being lured mostly by the potential that’s more evident by the previous investments and new uses emerging from those structures.
“You’ve got new businesses that are actively looking for buildings in the downtown. You got new businesses that are getting ready to open much like the new winery that’s being discussed right now,” he said.
