Evansville residents and visitors can now grab drinks to go thanks to the city’s first Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area downtown. The classification allows people aged 21 and older to buy alcoholic beverages from participating establishments and walk within the DORA limits.
Adam Trinkel, executive director of the Downtown Evansville Economic Improvement District, said the ordinance passed by the city council earlier this year will boost foot traffic, generate higher sales for businesses and lead to longer visits in the region.
“For example, [people] go to a bar or restaurant, and they eat there, they have a drink, but then they want to take a drink to go. As long as it’s in that DORA-branded cup, they can take the cup outside as long as it stays within the boundaries. They can take it down to the riverfront and enjoy a stroll along the river. They can walk up to the Ford Center or Old National Events Plaza or Victory Theatre,” said Trinkel.
At least 20 businesses are part of the downtown DORA, which kicked off during the 4th of July holiday weekend.
“We interacted with many guests along the riverfront who were responsibly enjoying their DORA beverages during our largest annual event, Fireworks on the Ohio, presented by Bally’s Evansville. We anticipate the DORA will be most impactful during large events downtown,” Trinkel said.
Trinkel said EID’s goal in expanding the outdoor beverage area is to enhance the overall downtown experience and make the neighborhood a destination.
“No laws in terms of public intoxication or anything of that nature change at all. This is an opportunity to allow our businesses to sell these drinks and allow people to enjoy downtown in a different manner,” said Trinkel.
The approval process
EID had been tracking the success of DORAs in neighboring states such as Kentucky and Ohio for the past few years. After an Indiana law allowing communities to create DORAs took effect in 2023, the organization seized the opportunity.
“It had certainly been on our radar. We had heard frequently from our businesses that they would love something like this even before the legislation passed,” Trinkel said.
Trinkel discussed the development of a DORA in downtown Evansville with the mayor’s office, other city officials and the police department before taking the proposal to the city council.
“The great thing for us is when we started looking at establishing a DORA, there were 19 in the state. And by this spring, when we put our ordinance before the city council, that number had increased to 30 plus,” said Trinkel.
Trinkel’s final step was submitting information from participating businesses to the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission, which gave the official stamp of approval.
“[The DORA] ties back to [EID’s] mission, which is the activation of downtown Evansville. We’re funded primarily by the property owners, so we try to target initiatives that not only bring people downtown but help our properties as well,” Trinkel said.
Preparing for launch
Todd Early, co-owner of Tiki on Main, credits EID for making sure downtown Evansville businesses were ready for the DORA launch in July.
“They did their due diligence to make sure they had all the signage before it was approved. They made sure that the cups were ordered. They did an amazing job getting prepared for it,” said Early. “They gave us a lot of information, kept us updated and then told us what to expect.”
While the DORA boundaries map shows the businesses and streets included in the region, patrons will find limits marked in the territory.
“We had to work through the process of identifying and developing signage for each entry and exit point. In total, there are over 50 entry and exit points for our boundaries. It’s an extensive process,” Trinkel said.
Amcor, formerly Berry Global, donated the initial quantity of DORA cups that participating businesses purchased from EID. Amcor is also sponsoring recycling receptacles to be placed in the area in the future.
“You can’t reuse a cup once it’s had a beverage in it. You have to get a new one. So we realized that we have an opportunity and a responsibility to try to be good stewards,” said Trinkel.
Early said EID gave downtown businesses guidance on best practices for keeping the DORA clean.
“All of us business owners agreed to have what they called a good neighbor contract, where we will do our part to make sure that this runs smoothly and that there’s no trash or DORA cups all over the streets,” Early said.
Business benefits
Since Tiki on Main is near the Ford Center, Old National Events Plaza and Victory Theatre, Early expects the DORA to have a positive impact on his business. Customers attending the bar and grill’s weekly Bike Night will have more freedom to roam.
“When they get a DORA cup, they can leave the patio and go look at each other’s bikes. It helps the bikers enjoy the experience more,” said Early. “[DORA] will help not only us at Tiki on Main but the entire downtown, because there are so many businesses, restaurants and bars that people don’t know about.”
Ally Speichler, co-owner of Industry Bar, said she knew DORA would be a business boom on the 4th of July because her establishment is near the riverfront where the fireworks were displayed.
“We’ve seen people use it every day. It’s been helping us out a lot,” Speicher said. “We have a lot of customers who come in from the hotel next door and get drinks. And if they’re in town for an event at the Ford Center, they can walk their drinks down to the Ford Center on their way to the event, which is nice.”
Downtown may be just the beginning of DORAs in Evansville, according to Trinkel. The city council is authorized to form up to seven outdoor beverage areas in the city.
“I would expect there would be interest from other neighborhoods in Evansville corridors that would benefit from something like this. It’s definitely something that other neighborhoods have the opportunity to do,” said Trinkel.
Hours of operation for downtown Evansville’s DORA are 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weeknights and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends. In June and July, the hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.