'It's been a joy': Retro bar Ike & Jonesy's will close its doors, owner says

Crystal Hill | Indianapolis Star

Show Caption Hide Caption New restaurants to try in Indianapolis this spring Carmel restaurants are popping up like pansies. This list includes newbies in Westfield, Fishers and Noblesville, too, as well as north Indianapolis.

As the new year approaches, the owner of a retro-themed bar that’s remained a fixture in Downtown Indianapolis for more than 30 years is preparing to close the business.

Ike and Jonesy’s, located on West Jackson Place, will have its “Last Hurrah” on New Year’s Eve before closing, owner Ike “Rickie” Eichholtz told IndyStar on Saturday. Eichholtz said he was bought out of his lease, which was set to expire in 2033. He could not offer details but said the building that houses his bar was sold in 2016 to a developer that plans to turn the building into a hotel.

“We talked and negotiated for three years, and it was probably just better to let me out of my lease,” Eichholtz said. “Our negotiations were good. It’s a fair price.”

Eichholtz, 61, has operated his eponymous bar, known for its eclectic decor and mostly '50s and '60s music, for about 36 years. “Jonesy” is named for his wife, Linda Jones Eichholtz.

“It’s difficult for me,” Eichholtz said. “This is where I come and talk to people. I have a knack for that. I will miss it dearly.”

Eichholtz recalls how different Downtown was when he opened Ike and Jonesy’s in 1984.

“There was no Pan Am Plaza when I was here,” he said. “The Hoosier Dome (RCA Dome) was a brand-new balloon. The Omni Hotel was the Atkinson Hotel. Then we were really excited about the Circle Centre Mall.”

When the mall was being built, merchant owners were concerned over traffic-blocking construction that they said was hurting business, according to a 1995 IndyStar story. Eichholtz was one of them. He filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the bar that year and said he was uncertain if the establishment would last.

More than 20 years later, the bar finds itself closing amid more new development Downtown. But Eichholtz expressed no bitterness over this. Instead, he gushed over how the area is changing and noted that the development over the years has bolstered his business.

“The convention business is incredible,” he said. “The Downtown residents enjoy themselves here, and that’s been a real plus. Between conventions and sporting events and (other) different events, I’ve been able to make a pretty good living."

Dining in Indianapolis: All the restaurants that have closed so far this year

Eichholtz will auction off items from the restaurant, such as bar equipment and memorabilia, at Earl's Auction Company & Liquidators on Jan. 3.

He hopes to remain in the bar business and has no plans to retire.

“It’s been an absolute delight serving Indianapolis residents and visitors,” he said. “It’s been a joy.”

Support our journalism Please support the work of IndyStar reporters and visual journalists by becoming a subscriber today. Get unlimited digital access here!

Contact IndyStar reporter Crystal Hill at 317-444-6094 or cnhill@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @crysnhill.