The Vogue is sold: Iconic Broad Ripple nightclub changes hands for first time in 33 years

Music fans saluted the longevity of Broad Ripple’s Vogue nightclub and expressed optimism for its future Thursday, when three Indianapolis tech entrepreneurs announced their purchase of the business.

New owners Eric Tobias, Scott Kraege and Andrew Davis said they plan to continue a tradition of presenting concerts and dance nights at the Vogue, which sounds good to Indianapolis resident Kim Taylor.

“I’m not one who says, ‘Oh, no,’ to change,” said Taylor, who’s attended performances by acts ranging from Erykah Badu to Dwight Yoakam at the Vogue. “I’m all for, ‘Let’s see what they have to offer now.’ Hopefully, they know what the Vogue has truly stood for. To me, the Vogue has stood for, ‘We’re willing to take some chances on some music.’ ”

The Vogue opened as a movie theater in 1938 and became a music venue on Dec. 31, 1977.

Scott Russell, an avid concert attendee and regional research director for Tribune Broadcasting, pointed out the contrast between the Vogue and two local theaters built in 1927 that have fallen into severe disrepair.

“You know, Indianapolis isn’t a city that has a great track record of preserving and using historic buildings,” Russell said. “If you think about the Ritz Theatre on Illinois Street and the Rivoli on 10th Street, those theaters are only about 10 years older than the Vogue. The fact the Vogue is still up and kicking is pretty rare.”

Vogue ownership is changing hands for the first time since 1986, when Steve Ross became co-owner. He’s been the sole owner since 2000.

As seller, Ross said he’s pleased music is the primary focus for Tobias, Kraege and Davis.

“The biggest thing I like about these guys,” Ross said, “is their goal is to maintain the Vogue as an iconic music venue. That was so appealing, because that’s what I’ve tried to do for the many years I’ve been there. Sure, there are plenty of lean years, but you just keep keepin’ on, because it’s the Vogue and it’s a staple and a lighthouse of Broad Ripple.”

Tobias co-founded "venture studio" High Alpha, which combines elements of venture capitalists and a startup studio, with partners including ExactTarget co-founder Scott Dorsey.

Kraege and Davis were executives at Mobi Wireless Management, a Zionsville company acquired last fall by New Jersey-based software and services company Tangoe.

What to expect from the new owners

Tobias and Kraege met while attending Cathedral High School, and all three Vogue owners are unabashed concert enthusiasts.

The announcement of the Vogue's sale, for instance, intentionally lines up with tonight's Vogue performance by singer-songwriter Todd Snider. There's no way Tobias would miss the show.

"I probably have seen Todd Snider 10 times in this hall," Tobias said.

Honor roll:From the Avetts to Zevon, notable acts have played the Vogue

Tobias, Kraege and Davis said the current Vogue staff of about 25 employees will remain in place to manage day-to-day operations, highlighting the leadership of talent buyer Jason King, general manager Marcus Johnson and office/event manager Hannah Myers.

Kraege said the goal is to make the Vogue a world-class music venue for all attendees.

"If we can take what Steve has built, the foundation that he's built and the people he's built and give them maybe some things they haven't had over the past 33 years while asking 'How can we make it better?' I think we can be successful," Kraege said.

The present-day Vogue calendar features touring acts, DJ dance parties and a noteworthy dose of tribute acts.

"The current content mix won't change," Tobias said. "I think over time you can expect to see more live music and more national acts, but not at the expense of reducing other content. This place has events two to three nights a week, and our goal would be to get that to be a higher number per week."

Nightclub dates back to 1938

The Vogue opened as a movie house at 6259 N. College Ave. on June 18, 1938, when it presented films in the comfort of "scientific air-conditioning."

John Ross (Steve's brother) and partner Doug Turnbull purchased the Vogue in 1977, rescuing it from a brief foray into the world of adult cinema (or "sinema," to quote an archived newspaper ad.)

Indiana R&B group Coalkitchen played the Vogue's opening night as a concert hall, Dec. 31, 1977.

Rows of seats were removed in the transition from movies to music. An oak floor was installed, and a U-shaped balcony became a new dominant characteristic.

When Steve Ross and business partner Dennis Burris took over in 1986, they phased out cabaret seating on the main floor. Burris sold his ownership interests to Ross in 2000.

Visit the Vogue during daytime hours and the interior of the 81-year-old building shows its age.

"Part of that is charm," Tobias said. "But there's a bunch that we plan to do, touching the artist experience, touching the fan experience and frankly touching the employee and office experience. There are some things that need freshened up, and we're going to do that."

Tobias, Kraege and Davis are buying the Vogue business but not the building, which is managed by the commercial division of Kosene & Kosene.

Tobias said his group is assuming a long-term lease and working to negotiate an extension.

"We've built these technology companies probably with an eye to exit at some point — because that's what you do in tech businesses," he said. "We're trying to do the exact opposite with this business. This place has been here since 1938. A big part of buying it is that we never want to fumble it."

Plenty of memorable shows

Ross said he made people aware he was ready to sell the business about six months ago. He estimates the 900-capacity Vogue accommodated 2.5 million patrons during his tenure.

Performances by the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1987, Johnny Cash in 1995 and Willie Nelson in 2002 rank among Ross' personal favorites at the Vogue. The roster of past acts also includes the Ramones, White Stripes and Snoop Dogg.

He also has fond memories of "Retro Rewind," a dance party presented every Wednesday across 16 years. 

Ross also owned the Patio, a smaller but nearly as storied Broad Ripple nightclub that closed in 2005.

The name of the Tobias-Kraege-Davis partnership is "Forty5," which can be interpreted as an homage to seven-inch, 45 rpm records. It also pays tribute to local history.

"We wanted to come up with a name that was unique for us and unique for Broad Ripple," Kraege said. "Forty-five was the number of the trolley that ran from Downtown to this stop back when they had the tram system. There were probably people who said, 'I'm going to the Vogue. Let's take the 45 to catch a movie.' "

What's next for Steve Ross

Ross plans to devote his post-Vogue energies to the "Walk the Talk" events he launched in 2016. He describes "Walk the Talk" as a speaker series influenced by TED Talks, but with an emphasis on well-being, positive thinking and spirituality instead of TED's technology, entertainment and design.

The next "Walk the Talk" event is scheduled June 26 at the Indiana History Center, 450 W. Ohio St.

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Call IndyStar reporter David Lindquist at 317-444-6404. Follow him on Twitter: @317Lindquist.