INDIANAPOLIS — The first thing one notices about Books & Brews is that it’s off the beaten path, tucked into an unassuming strip mall in a cluster of industrial-supply stores and a sprawling outpost of The Home Depot near 96th Street on the far north side of Indianapolis. The second thing you may notice upon entering the shop is how inviting it feels, with its bright, bookshelf-lined walls, clusters of sturdy wooden tables and racks of board games — and that’s before you get to the back of the store with a craft-beer taproom, small stage and even more packed bookshelves.

“I started off here mainly because as a start-up, no one will lease to you,” said Jason Wuerfel, 38, the founder and president of Books & Brews, during a recent chat at the company’s “mother ship” location. But the lack of foot traffic hasn’t stopped his establishment from becoming a popular gathering spot.