After four quiet years without regular worship services, an 1872 brick church in Fletcher Place is buzzing again. The historic building has been reborn as Lille Bønne, a self-described community "living room" that functions as a casual café and neighborhood hub. Its stained-glass windows and Indiana poplar hardwood floors are still in place, but the sanctuary now hosts coffee, yoga, music and classes instead of Sunday sermons. The idea is to weave the church's historic identity back into everyday neighborhood life.
From Sanctuary to Community Living Room
According to the IndyStar, the space reopened this week as the Lille Bønne Community Living Room and will serve breakfast and lunch while hosting classes, live music and yoga. The paper notes the building had gone four years without regular worship before the new owners completed the conversion. The name, Lille Bønne, Danish for "little bean," nods to the neighborhood's Danish roots and the coffee-focused menu the team plans to serve.
Built by Danish Immigrants, Reimagined by Neighbors
The 2,600-square-foot structure was built in 1872 by members of the Trinity Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal. Co-founders Abby Reckard and Will Lonnemann purchased the property and, per the Business Journal, budgeted roughly $235,000 for the acquisition and a similar amount for renovations to stabilize and restore historic elements. Reckard has described the plan as creating a "third space" where families and longtime residents can meet without the pressures of a typical bar or restaurant.
Programming, Preservation and Design
The Lille Bønne team emphasizes repair over replacement. The Lille Bønne website describes plans to refinish original fixtures, restore the stained glass and refinish the Indiana poplar floors, and to repurpose wood from old pews for the café bar. The venue presents itself as both a daytime café and an event space, pairing coffee and sandwiches with yoga classes, art workshops, children's crafternoons and intimate music nights, according to the organization's events calendar. Organizers say they want the building actively used and welcoming to a broad cross-section of neighbors, not just diners, and their site lists several free or pay-what-you-can programs.
Why Fletcher Place Matters
The church sits inside the Holy Rosary-Danish Church historic district, a neighborhood listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service. Adaptive reuse of churches and old storefronts has been central to Fletcher Place's revival, helping keep small, locally owned businesses viable while preserving architectural character. Local preservation groups and neighborhood leaders say projects like Lille Bønne help anchor daytime activity in a part of town that has grown into a popular dining and arts corridor.
What’s Next for the Space
The founders are rolling out a mix of ticketed and free events while finishing renovations, with the Lille Bønne events page showing recurring yoga nights, piano performances and family crafternoons as early programming. Lille Bønne also ran a crowdfunding campaign to help cover build-out costs, according to its fundraiser page on iFundWomen, and organizers say community support will be key to keeping the space affordable. They plan a gradual ramp-up of hours and events in the months ahead as the team finishes work on heating, seating and full kitchen operations.
With its restored windows and old-growth floors, the former Danish church is aiming to be a daily destination as much as a neighborhood landmark. The project shows how small, locally driven efforts can preserve history while creating everyday spaces where neighbors meet, learn and play.
