Muncie Origins: Downtown restaurant maintains family atmosphere for 21 years

Editor's note: Muncie Origins is a Ball State Daily News series profiling various businesses that originated in Muncie. 

Vera Mae’s, with its eclectic art pieces and art deco charm, is a staple of downtown Muncie. The restaurant has been a part of Muncie since 1995.

Vera Mae’s was created out of Kent Shuff’s passion to own a restaurant.

Growing up working in his grandmother’s restaurant in Huntington, a one-stop that served comfort food like fried chicken, beef and noodles and homemade pies, he gained a passion for restaurants, he said.

Shuff majored in marketing at Ball State but while working at Corkey’s after college, Shuff decided to start his own restaurant. He named it after his grandmother, whose first name was Vera, and his mother, whose middle name was Mae. 

Vera Mae’s actually started as a catering company, but in 1995 Shuff purchased half of Vera Mae’s current location downtown, deciding on the ambiance of a historical building at a time before there was much interest in downtown Muncie, he said.

In 2001, Vera Mae's expanded when Shuff purchased a larger space next door. The expansion increased the seating capacity from 62 to 210. It was also the year Shuff met his future husband and co-owner Steve Fennimore.

Fennimore said he had no experience with restaurants before becoming involved with Vera Mae's. 

“I knew a restaurant was good if I liked the food,” he said.

After owning the restaurant for 21 years and living above it, Shuff noted the impact the restaurant has had on him.

“[Vera Mae’s] is our life and employees become like family,” he said. 

Shuff said his favorite part of being the owner of Vera Mae’s is the interaction he gets to have with guests and employees. Shuff enjoys greeting guests and said he and Fennimore focus on the hospitality. 

Vera Mae’s has menus for lunch and dinner, and an interesting way of developing them. 

Nick Kirkpatrick has been Vera Mae’s chef for three years. He and his staff get to design most of the dishes, save for a few special dishes that are the signatures of the restaurant. 

Kirkpatrick said his approach to menus is to utilize as many products as possible so little goes to waste and also noted Shuff and Fennimore give him the freedom to be creative in the kitchen. 

“I enjoy working with [the owners]; they let me do what I want to do,” he said.

Over the years, Vera Mae’s has entertained Muncie’s famous visitors including David Letterman, Carole King and Tom Greene. 

“Without Ball State and Ball Hospital [bringing people to the area], we wouldn’t be here,” Shuff said. 

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