BE HERE NOW
8 p.m.-3 a.m. Sunday-Monday
Under Be Here Now’s glowing marquee, Nick Teaford sat on his wooden stool as he checked IDs at the door and collected the $3 cover charge for Wednesday’s comedy night and karaoke.
“Karaoke has really picked up this summer,” Teaford said. “People come, have a good time and they want to come back and hang out.”
Be Here Now is right on the border of the Village, at 505 N. Dill St., on the corner of Dill Street and University Avenue. It is an all-ages venue that brings in local and national performers to take the stage up to four times a week. There is not a specific genre that travels through Be Here Now, and within the last year the venue has hosted rock, blues, hip-hop, punk, acoustic and even a country band from Slovenia.
The venue also is a bar with specials listed on the marquee and posted on its Facebook page.
Be Here Now opened its doors three years ago. Still in its toddler years, the venue is continually adding improvements and making changes both large and small.
When owner Whitney Stump took over the space in the Village, the back patio was just a cement slab. Now, with some elbow grease and scrapped lumber, Stump and his crew transformed the patio. It includes a stage, a small deck right off the back door and tables and seating.
“It’s ridiculous how much [Be Here Now] has changed in the short time,” Teaford said. “We are already planning to build a completely covered deck in the back next summer.”
To keep up with the shows or check out the daily drink specials, check out on Be Here Now on Facebook.
THE CUP
7 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday
8 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
Outside of The Cup, people sip coffee, smoke cigarettes, play the guitar, watch videos or read.
“We are the living room of the Village,” Martin George, owner of The Cup, said. “People can come here and feel at home and relax. It’s a lot like home in many different ways.”
The Cup is a coffee shop in the Village, at 1606 W. University Ave., that also sells tea, hot chocolate, smoothies and chai in addition to sandwiches, bagels and muffins that are all made in the shop.
Offering both vegetarian and vegan options, The Cup tries to offer something for everyone.
“Every college town needs a little place like this where students can come and meet new people, and get away from classes,” George said.
Village Green Records
11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday
1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
At Village Green Records, you can kick it old school with some vinyls and add to your CD collection.
Located just off campus at 519 N. Martin Ave., the multi-colored house is always playing music.
Throughout the year, bands from all over record and play live music on the lawn or in the store.
To take a look at the collection and get the low-down on upcoming special events, you can call 847-346-2199 or visit the Village Green Records Facebook at facebook.com/VillageGreenRecords.
In the back of Village Green Records, Muncie’s first food truck Slop on Top is parked throughout the week.
Slop on Top has been in Muncie since the spring and has gained a following through the food truck’s variety of cuisine, ranging from Mexican to Indian dishes.
Slop on Top is normally on site Monday through Friday, and students can follow the truck’s location, the day’s menu and learn of promotional deals at facebook.com/slopontop.
Art Mart
8 a.m.-8p.m. Monday-Thursday
8 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday
12 p.m.-5 p.m. Sunday
Art Mart, self-proclaimed “candy store for artists,” has provided Ball State’s artistic community with art supplies for around 40 years and stands at 409 N. Martin St. A few downward stairs take you beneath The Chug and into The Village’s only art shop.
Even though Art Mart can’t carry every variety of oil paint or sketchpad, they still encourage customers to discuss specialty products with them and will attempt to order supplies upon request with no shipping or service charge. The store also offers consulting to help students find the right products for their artistic needs.
Art Mart hosts a several sales each year. Every year, the store holds a back-to-school sale, which runs from today through the end of the month. In past years, the store hosted events like the “Red Sale,” where all red products sold for 25 percent off, and “Zombie Paper Sale.”
For the art major on the go, Art Mart assembles kits of supplies for beginners and coordinates with professors to create packages for specific art courses offered at the university.
