Meet some of the local small business owners participating in Shop Fishers on the This is Fishers blog. We sat down with Curt Tappendorf, owner of Schoolhouse 7 Café, to learn more about the café and how they’re participating in Shop Fishers this season.
Schoolhouse 7 Café
12125 Cyntheanne Road
Small Business Saturday Hours: 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Offers online ordering, curbside pickup, & carryout
Buy 1 drink, get the second drink 50% off (excludes alcohol) on Saturday, November 26.
Before Schoolhouse 7 officially opened its doors in 2019, many community members would pass by the empty, one-room schoolhouse while driving on Cyntheanne Road and Southeastern Parkway, wondering what it was and what it could be. When Curt and Sarah Tappendorf took it upon themselves to purchase the schoolhouse, it quickly became a place where community members could gather, be together, and focus on creating connections while enjoying a cup of coffee and delicious food.
“We want to make sure that people know that every time they come in, they’re welcome and they get a good greeting and that they feel like this is their home,” Curt said.
The Tappendorfs have contributed a welcoming environment for the community, delicious family recipes like Sally Jo’s sausage souffle and Grandma Jean’s chocolate cake, an event space, the preservation of a 122-year-old historic Fishers building, all while keeping the schoolhouse theme inside the building.
“We’ve got photos all around the café that show some of the historical images of activities that took place,” Curt said. “We have a picture of the very first class that went to school here in 1901… We took the exterior and wanted it to look just like it did back in the 1900s.”
When talking about the upstairs that was not a part of the original schoolhouse, Curt said, “We’ve had bridal showers, baby showers, birthday parties, and we’ve even had weddings. It’s an area that we want to have something that the community can gather and be part of it.”
Curt’s favorite thing about having a business in Fishers is the location. With the constant growth of the city, Curt has emphasized the importance of supporting local businesses.
“Local businesses give back to the community and we are a big sponsor of local activities and groups. We love supporting those people that help support us.”
The Shop Fishers: Holiday Series starts Saturday, November 26 and goes until Saturday, December 31. Over 50 small businesses around Fishers are participating with deals and promotions during this month-long celebration of Fishers shops and restaurants. Learn more about Shop Fishers and check out all the great deals at thisisfishers.com/ShopFishers.
Grace Gerig has lived in Fishers her entire life and graduated from Hamilton Southeastern High School in 2020. At Purdue University, Grace is studying Public Relations and Strategic Communication, minoring in Political Science and Human Resource Management, and pursuing a Collaborative Leadership Certificate. Grace is involved with Boiler Communication, a student-run Public Relations agency, and serves as an Account Executive on their leadership team. Grace was a 2-year member of the nationally recognized Purdue Dance Team and enjoys teaching dance and choreographing routines. She is also involved with her sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha, and manages her chapter’s Instagram. On weekends, Grace likes to work out in the morning at the F45 Fishers/Geist location, grab a Dunkin iced coffee, and sit with her family on their back porch. Follow her on Instagram and LinkedIn.