Liam Newlin & Brian Marshall
Owners of Hoosier Handlebars LLC
Q: How long have you been together?
A: We’ve been married since November 17, 2023.
Q: How did you meet?
A: We met on a dating app, and our first date was at an antique mall. It was actually Liam's birthday, but he kept that quiet until later.
Q: Why do you choose to live and/or own a business in SoIN?
A: We could have lived in SoIN or Bloomington, but Liam fell in love with Southern Indiana. Slowly, Liam was able to reopen Brian's eyes to the charm and possibility of a place he had always lived in.
Q: Describe a perfect date night in SoIN (Clark & Floyd counties)
A: Dinner on the deck of one of our many favorite local eateries with a walk along the greenway after, followed by ice cream. In New Albany, we like Floyd County Brewing Company, and in Jeff, we like Upland. Upland is based out of Bloomington, and that's where Liam was living when we first met. We also like Widow's Walk and Uncommon Cups and Cones for ice cream.
Leticia & Zack Rivera
Owners of The Wildflower: Uncommon Gifts
Q: How long have you been together?
A: We’ve been together for 17 years.
Q: How did you meet?
A: We met in middle school in our tiny hometown in Wyoming, and went to high school together, but never dated. A few years after high school, Zack was living in Northern Alaska on active duty in the US Coast Guard, and I was in college at the University of Utah. That's when we reconnected through MySpace and started a long-distance relationship. Seventeen years, six cross-country moves, and two kids later, here we are!
Q: Why do you choose to live and/or own a business in SoIN?
A: Southern Indiana stole our hearts as soon as we moved here. The beautiful geography, the four distinct seasons, the kind people, the historic charm.... We just love everything about it. It was the perfect place to open our first small business in 2024.
Q: Describe a perfect date night in SoIN (Clark & Floyd counties)
A: With two little ones at home, we don't have many date nights. When we are able to get out, we love a good dinner at one of our local favorites like La Catrina, The Exchange, and Union. Then a walk on The Greenway or across the Big Four Bridge. For special occasions, nothing beats a live dining show at MESA!
Steve & Beth Shepherd
5th generation owners of Schimpff’s Confectionery
Q: How long have you been together?
A: We’ve been together for 2.5 years.
Q: Why do you choose to live and/or own a business in SoIN?
A: We want to live within the community that has supported our family business for 134 years!
Q: Describe a perfect date night in SoIN (Clark & Floyd counties)
A: A perfect date night is to leave the candy store and walk to a locally owned restaurant like O'Shea's, Pearl Street Taphouse, Red Yeti or TOWN for dinner, then listen to live music offered at Riverstage or Warder Park during the warmer months.
Curt & Pam Peters
Board Chair and Board Member, Vintage Fire Museum
Q: How long have you been together?
A: We’ve been married 60 years. July 11, 2025 was our 60th wedding anniversary.
Q: How did you meet?
A: We both sang in the Chapel Choir at Valparaiso University; got to know each other on a choir tour in 1960.
Q: Why do you choose to live and/or own a business in SoIN?
A: Curt was hired as a professor at Indiana University Southeast in 1976. In 2009, we wanted to save the great Fred Conway firefighting collection for this area and helped form the Vintage Fire Museum, a 501(c)3.
Q: Describe a perfect date night in SoIN (Clark & Floyd counties)
A: We love going out to eat at one of the great restaurants in this area like Pearl Street Taphouse, Bella Roma, Legacy Pizza & Bakery and H.M. Franks, and then going to an orchestra concert or another special event.
Jillian Prefach Baker and Dickie Baker
Actors, Derby Dinner Playhouse
Q: How long have you been together?
A: We've been married for 4 years and together 11!
Q: How did you meet?
A: We both used to travel frequently for theatre jobs. We each had apartments in Astoria, Queens only a block away from each other, went to the same gym, but never met. Because of traveling, we would sublet our rooms to other people to save money. Jillian went back and forth from Derby Dinner Playhouse and NYC for 2 years. Dickie had been working all over Florida for years but had booked a couple shows in a row at a Theatre called The Show Palace. In the fall of 2014, The Show Palace was producing Kiss Me, Kate and Jillian was cast as Kate, and Dickie was one of the suitors. The rest was history! Dickie got hired at Derby Dinner and eventually we started to build a life together in the area!
Q: Why do you choose to live and/or own a business in SoIN?
A: Living in this area began through our employment at the Derby Dinner Playhouse. The development of this area over the last 10 or so years is what has made us stay. When our families and friends from out of town visit they are blown away by how much there is to do right outside our door!
Q: Describe a perfect date night in SoIN (Clark & Floyd counties)
A: A perfect date night for us would consist of going to a bunch of different restaurants. We call it a Dickie and Jillian “mess around”. Because there are so many places so close together, it’s easy to grab a few tacos from La Catrina and then switch to some burger sliders from Dog Haus, then to pizza from Parlour and goat cheese fritters from The Exchange and so on!
