Eddie Sahm Guides Liter House Through Transition to an Event Space
Writer / Natalie Platt
Photographer / Kayley Hackney @ivoryfilmco
Eddie Sahm isn’t slowing down. Sahm, a well-known personality on the Indianapolis food and beverage scene, is excited about the continued expansion and development of the catering and events side of his business, especially weddings.
“I absolutely did not see Liter House turning into a wedding venue,” Sahm says. “I wanted to bring German food to life in a brewpub setting. We did that for a couple years and I think we were one of the most unique restaurant destinations around.”
COVID-19 had other plans for Sahm’s restaurant concept, as it did for so many others, and his team realized that operating two restaurants side by side was not going to be in the cards for long. Transitioning part of the space into an event venue began in April of 2020, and Liter House hosted its first wedding in late June of 2020.
Now, the large building on Winthrop Avenue houses two concepts – Half Liter BBQ, the popular brewpub serving Texas-style barbecue and craft beers, and Liter House, the catering and event space that can host events from 20 to 200 people.
In 2022 Liter House hosted more than 28 rehearsal dinners and more than 25 weddings, all of which Sahm took in stride.
“We have been catering at Sahm’s for 30-plus years,” he says. “I have hosted jobs of two people to 20,000 people. Weddings are easy if you plan right, and we take a lot of pride in our planning and execution.”
The longtime catering business has been a local favorite for years, and certainly helps draw attention to one of Sahm’s newer concepts, but he thinks Liter House’s location helps with the success.
“I think the area around us is as important as the inside, in terms of why we’re a great venue,” Sahm says. “We are in an amazing location with local artwork, awesome neighborhoods, and things to do before and after the wedding. Inside is also beautiful. We have 25’ barrel ceilings, tons of natural light and one of the most beautiful bars in Indiana.”
Liter House offers several configurations that cater to different sizes of weddings and events. Liter Room is flanked with dark wooden accents and industrial details that make it a trendy and warm space in the heart of Broad Ripple. The large room can be arranged several ways, from weddings to cocktail hours, with a max capacity of 200 people. Weddings have a capacity of 150 people, while banquet-style events top out at 175 people.
For more intimate settings, guests can host an event in the Winthrop Room. With a capacity of 42 people, this room is perfect for smaller gatherings like birthdays, corporate meetings and holiday dinners. The room has plenty of natural light thanks to large windows lining the length of the room, and guests are encouraged to bring their own decorations.
As far as catering goes, guests have taken advantage of having Half Liter BBQ right next door, but still tend to select traditional options for dinner.
“We definitely do a lot of barbecue,” Sahm says. “Part of that is because it is a very affordable option and we try to be a budget-friendly location just as much as an upscale location. However, most of our weddings go for a traditional steak, chicken and seafood-driven buffet. Some couples have even worked with me on making a special, personalized menu for their day.”
Sahm notes that Liter house has 28 weddings scheduled for 2023 already. January and February are relatively open, with the schedule filling up starting in March. “We have plenty of dates left, but as we host more events, we have been noticing the word getting out and the inquiries have been taking off,” Sahm says.
Liter House also hosts the SoBro Farmers Market in the event space every Wednesday from December 14 until March 22. The market runs from 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., with the bar and kitchen open for everyone to enjoy after shopping.
“I love what Matt Byington, who started the market, and all the market vendors, stand for and always have,” Sahm says. “As much as I am a salesman, I also want to try to help connect people to great, local food however I can. This is just another opportunity to do so.”
Liter House is located at 5301 Winthrop Avenue in Indianapolis. You can visit them online at halfliterbbq.com, or at Instagram @halfliter_bbq. You can find additional catering details at sahmscateringcompany.com.
