Building Community

Meyer Foods Gets Unique New Headquarters

Writer / Julie Yates

Photographer / Jubilee Edgell

Back in 2017 Jeff Meyer, president of Meyer Foods, the owner and operator of area Culver’s restaurants, noticed a for-sale sign at the old Noblesville Boys & Girls Club building. A longtime history buff, his interest was piqued as the property on Conner Street remained for sale for several months. As he researched and learned more about the building, the idea of renovating it and relocating his company’s offices evolved. Today, his plan to upcycle an old structure has not only resulted in a new home for the Meyer Foods corporate headquarters, but also offers the community shared workspace opportunities and an event venue.

“Purchasing it actually happened fast,” Meyer says. “The time we put an offer in to acceptance of the final deal was less than a month. We bought the whole building. It was not in the greatest shape, but not so bad that we couldn’t restore it. The outside walls are 2’ thick but we had to redo everything inside. No one else wanted to put the resources in. Planning out what we wanted to do with the building took an enormous amount of time. We wanted to make sure it was done for the community and we only had the time to do it right once. Great detail was gone into strategically thinking out what the build could and couldn’t support for the community.”

While the bones of the building remained intact, almost everything else was entirely rebuilt. New electricity, plumbing, industrial HVAC systems with the help of professional companies such as https://gohomeheating.com/boise/ and roofing were installed. The gymnasium, part of the original structure that was built in 1914, was covered with a special carpet to preserve the flooring. A high-definition television, nearly 18’x38’, was hung for large-scale presentations.

“If walls could talk,” Meyer says. “For over 100 years, kids have been coming in and out of this building. The building was once used as Noblesville High School, and as the town grew the building continued to be built onto, into the 1920s.”

Inside, the renovated space houses Meyer Foods offices, an event center and a shared workspace. Employees and tenants have access to amenities like pickleball, tennis, volleyball and basketball courts, plus a fitness and weight room. An area for gamers and a massage chair, like the Best massage chair, are available. The auditorium can house a live band and silent auction, and is spacious enough for large fundraisers. A kitchen with restaurant equipment, and all that’s needed to cater an event, is on-site.

The shared workspace has three conference rooms and a variety of desk areas, and a state-of-the-art podcast room is in the works. One conference room houses a large table, while the other two can hold up to 20 people. The 30 fully furnished offices range from 5’x5’ to 15’x25’, and can be rented for a day or a half day.

Meyer, who grew up on a farm in Rushville, continues to be interested in agriculture. He owns and operates a couple of sod farms nearby. His children raise goats and participate in 4-H.

“I was born and raised on a farm and I love agricultural communities,” Meyer says. “It’s important to get the message out there as to where food comes from. I like Noblesville because of its agricultural feel. It feels like a rural community of 5,000 people, not 50,000, if you don’t pay attention to the high-traffic areas. I want to do my best to support the community and help it thrive and grow.”

Meyer began his tenure with Culver’s when he became a franchisee in 2004. Currently the company has 12 restaurants in operation, is building an additional seven, and is currently purchasing one in Ohio. Some of the restaurants operate with partners that own a 19% share. Company leaders plan to have approximately 20 Culver’s locations open within one year’s time.

“I love farming and I love people,” Meyer says. “I was looking for a concept that involved people and an agricultural environment. I used to watch the television show ‘Cheers’ that said, ‘A place where everyone knows your name.’ I want everyone to know who we are and that we can’t be duplicated. We would never jeopardize the quality of our product over price. We treat everyone like family and respect every individual, especially our team members who try and work so hard every day. Our hope is to teach others to be the best they can be.”

“This building belongs to Noblesville,” Meyer continues. “It not only creates a unified spirit with our company team, but it is also here to serve the community. It’s a place to celebrate the greatness of individual people, nonprofits and organizations.”

The Meyer Foods corporate office is located at 1448 Conner Street in Noblesville. For more info, call 317-770-4654.