Business Timeline

This page is a subset of the timeline information that only contains the openings and closing of businesses. There is a lot of interest in when a business got its start or end in Bloomington, and often little way to track down the exact date they open their doors. The list below contains a year-by-year account of Bloomington businesses that have come and gone over the years. Since there is a lot of specific interest and churn in the restaurant business, restaurants are separated out.

2008

Business Openings

• Panache School of Ballroom and Social Dance (September 12)

Restaurant Openings

• Sonic (June)

2007

Business Openings

• Indiana Running Company (April 14)
• Avalon Games and Hobbies (December 10), new location
• London Dog (September 22)

Business Closings

• J.R. Stallsmith & Co - March 21st
• Avalon Games and Hobbies (December)

Restaurant Openings

• Casa Brava (Eastside) (coming in Q2 2007)

Restaurant Closings

• Long John Silvers (January)
• Smokey Bones (5 May 2007)
• Macri's Deli (30 July 2007)

2006

Business Openings

• Campus Costume
• Hilton Garden Inn (April 13th)
• Petco (April 29th)
• Bed Bath & Beyond Eastside (coming soon)
• Soup's On
• The Uniform Lady

Business Closings

• Faris Market (March 18th)
• HoosierNet, Inc. (September 1st)
• Soma Luna
• Bank
• Encore Cafe

Restaurant Openings

• Breakfast at Roland's/Chick-fil-A
• Coaches (April)
• Japonais (February 8th)
• Longhorn Steakhouse
• Square Donuts (May 19th)
• The Cereal Barn & Peanut Butter Cafe (July)
• Nomad Buffet (December)

Restaurant Closings

• Bazaar Cafe (July)
• Encore Cafe (November)
• Jiffy Treet (Kirkwood) (November)
• Ladyman's Cafe (December 10th)
• Ponderosa (July)
• U Club (December)
• American Chopstick (June)

2005

Business Openings

• Bank

Business Closings

• Circuit City (February 18th)

Restaurant Openings

• Smokey Bones
• T.G.I. Friday's
• Willy Joe's (May 6th)
• U Club (October)
• Ragazzi Arte Cafe

Restaurant Closings

• Legacy of the Incas
• City Grille (December)
• Danato's Pizza
• Rumblefish

2004

Restaurant Openings

• Cafe et Crepe (September)
• The Greenbrier Room
• Rumblefish (formerly known as Divino's)
• Tutto Bene (June)
• The Bakehouse East side (November)

Restaurant Closings

• Divino's (changed name to Rumblefish

2003

Business Openings

• Best Buy

Business Closings

• Ben Franklin

Restaurant Openings

• Don Chuy (November)
• Bazaar Cafe
• Scholar's Inn Bakehouse Bagels
• Legacy of the Incas (November)

Restaurant Closings

• Espresso Royale Cafe

2002

Business Openings

Bloomington United Soccer School

Restaurant Openings

• Divino's

Restaurant Closings

• Red Chair Bakery (absorbed into Village Deli)
• Ben and Jerry's (absorbed into Village Deli)
• Eileen's New England Catering and Food Co
• L'Opera

2001

Business Openings

• Bed Bath & Beyond Westside (October)
• Boxcar Books

Business Closings

• JCPenney

Restaurant Openings

• Bobby's Too
• DaVinci's
• L'Opera

Restaurant Closings

• Loaf & Ladle Restaurant
• The Rib Cage

1998

Business Openings

• Q Billiards
• Circuit City

Business Closings

• Mace's Supermarket

Restaurant Openings

• City Grille
• Texas roadhouse
• Flora
• Upland Brewing Company
• Carmela's
• Anyetsang's Little Tibet (August)
• Espresso Royale Cafe
• Samira

Restaurant Closings

• Damon's Clubhouse

1997

Business Closings

• Betty Jean Shop (April)
• Fil Caravan
• Home Touch

Restaurant Openings

• The Rib Cage

Restaurant Closings

• Siam Express

1996

Business Openings

• Courtyard Marriott Hotel
• Eileen's New England Catering and Food Co

Restaurant Openings

• Chili's
• Red Lobster

Restaurant Closings

• Maxwell's

1995

Business Openings

• Barnes & Noble Bookstore
• Staples
• Factory Card Outlet
• Borders Books

Business Closings

• Smalz's Department Store
• Morgenstern Booksellers
• Bibliogem

Restaurant Openings

• Applebee's
• The Laughing Planet Cafe
• The Wild Beet
• The Bakehouse
• Legends Sports Bar
• Cafe Alla Scala
• Schlotsky's Deli
• Siam Express

Restaurant Closings

• Positively Fourth Street
• Garcia's Pizza
• Checker's

1994

Business Closings

• Reliable Drug (both locations)
• Spaceport

Restaurant Openings

• Damon's Clubhouse
• Outback Steakhouse

1992

Restaurant Openings

• Yogi's
• BW3's (Kirkwood Avenue)

Restaurant Closings

• BW3's (Indiana and 10th - moved to Kirkwood)

1989

Business Closings

• People's Drug (changed ownership; renamed Reliable Drug)

Restaurant Openings

• Damon's Clubhouse

1988

Business Openings

• The Bloomington Antique Mall

Business Closings

• Ralph's T-Mart

1982

Restaurant Openings

• The Irish Lion
• Pizza Express

1977

Business Openings

• Ralph's T-Mart

Business Closings

• Louden's

1972

Business Openings

• The Briar & The Burley

Restaurant Openings

• Choo Chew's - later Janko's Little Zagreb

1970

Business Openings

• Howard's Bookstore

1970s

Business Closings

• Varsity Pharmacy

1960s

Business Openings

• Fishin Shedd (1 April, 1968)

Business Closings

• Varsity Barber Shop

1950s

Business Openings

• 1954 - Louden's

Restaurant Openings

• 1957 - Ladyman's Cafe

1930s

Restaurant Openings

• (1930) Hinkle's Hamburgers

1920s

Restaurant Openings

• (1927) Nick's English Hut