The 10 Spot, like the Brugge Brasserie, is a tale of high school classmates teaming up to open a bar. But that's where the similarity ends. The Ten Spot is a bar in every sense of the word. At first glance the exterior looks like more of a warehouse than anything else. Set on the north side of Culver and near its reknowned military academy on Lake Maxinkuckee, The Ten Spot draws an eclectic crowd- from millionaire summer residents to college students to local residents. They all come to the 10 spot because it offers three things that no surrounding bar can match: Great food, premium drinks, and a variety of entertainment. Indianabeer.com happened to catch the owner-manager John Bickel (pictured) who graciously granted an interview over a couple of cans of Indiana-brewed Warbird.

IBDC: Why the name "The 10 Spot"?

John: We had a number of names in mind, some honoring long-time residents of Culver . The process of coming up with a name began to drag out. Finally it was the wife of my partner who said "You are on route 10, why not call it the 10 Spot?"

IBDC: The interior looks clean and almost new.

John: When we bought the place it was a dump. It was a bar but not a nice place to go. There were riff-raff and it was very dirty. For the past year and a half we've been renovating to give it a fresh look. Almost everything you see is new or remodeled and it seems like we're always finding new ways to make it even better. What used to be a bar where you'd come to eat a burger, drink a Bud, and see a fight is now a place where you can enjoy a nice dinner of grilled salmon accompanied with a Bass Ale. Stay for great music, play games, or catch a comedian- The 10 Spot offers something for everyone.

IBDC: What do you offer in terms of beer?

John: We have a variety of bottled and draft beer. The only local beer we currently sell is Warbird. We were approached by a salesman and liked what we tasted- so we bought a few cases which sold quickly. Now we're looking to add more local beers to our selection, including Three Floyd's Alpha King and possibly something from Bell's. To be honest we've been so busy remodeling and refining our menu that we've not had time to look into it, but we will, soon.

IBDC: This bar is huge!

John: 120 feet long by 40 feet wide, almost 7200 square feet when you count the basement dance floor. It's really a restaurant, a bar, a dance or concert venue, and game room all tied in one. But it never feels crowded. The arrangement of the rooms and the walls we put up make it seem cozy, not to mention our beergarten for a place to sit outside on nice days.

found at: indianabeer. com/bars/the10spot .htm

Note - This was part of their original website while in business. The other owner/partner was John Zehner. It is said that they went to manage the Bristro at the Cove and John Zehner the Cabana down on West Jefferson Street in March 2007. Mr. Bickel also had the Uptown Cinema and the Edgewater Grill.