The Chatterbox Jazz Club, a tiny 900-square-foot bar located at the heart of the cultural district, is known for its gritty, neighborhood dive aesthetic and its live music.
The club was not always an Indianapolis jazz staple. Prior to the 1980s, it was just a little bar serving the first and third-shift factory workers in a run-down and neglected area. William Popa owned the bar for 40 years before selling it in 1982 to David Andrichik, an architect with an interest in the preservation and rehabilitation of older buildings.
When Andrichik first took over the Chatterbox, it was only open from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. Looking to extend the bar’s hours, he added a small stage so that he could bring in live music and have a reason to stay open later. The Chatterbox’s reputation quickly grew, becoming one of the few places in Indianapolis to feature live jazz and by the end of 1983, it was presenting live jazz six nights a week.
The Chatterbox also became an important venue for performers. musicians of all levels, established and new, could come here and play. With its appreciative audience and staff, the bar made the perfect place to experiment, test new ideas, and just play.
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