Business Spotlight: Orange Leaf
Writer / Jamie Hergott
Photography Provided
When Trevor and Stephanie Bernhardt posed for their Avon High School prom photo in 2015 at the Avon Orange Leaf store, they had no idea how significant that moment would be. Now, eight years later, they own not only that Avon location, but also the Plainfield Orange Leaf store nestled in The Shops at Perry Crossing. 
We are so grateful to be in the Plainfield community, Stephanie says.
Stephanie and Trevor worked at Orange Leaf in Avon together through high school. Stephanie went on to IUPUI to study event management, hospitality, and the restaurant industry, all while still working at Orange Leaf. In her last year, she took a capstone class in which she had to start a business from scratch, presenting all elements of the process to her class. She also began applying for jobs, and then found out the owner of the Avon Orange Leaf was going to retire soon.
Operating a business was already part of my thought process because of that class, Stephanie says. We didnt want the store to go to someone who didnt care, so we asked if hed sell it to us.
The owner mentored them through the process, and in fact he was a good friend who attended their wedding. The couple purchased the Avon location in the spring of 2019, and the Plainfield location in the fall of 2021.
Through the last four years Trevor worked at a local car dealership, learning many business management principles that translated well into other businesses. Trevor recently left his full-time job there to partner with Stephanie to run both the Avon and Plainfield stores, as well as their mobile concession-cart company, Bernhardt Concession Services.
Its just managing froyo instead of cars, he says, laughing.
Together, their strengths and weaknesses balance out, and the power couple has made their presence known in Hendricks County.
When you have two people who have the same goal in mind, who put all their time and energy into those goals, you get so much done, Stephanie says.
So much might be an understatement. They have 75 events booked this year alone, all while running a stand at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and also running 14 locations at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Customers can expect to see them this year at the Hendricks County Fair, Rib-Fest, the Indy 500, the Brickyard 400 and more.
Weve refreshed the store, we have new and exciting marketing, we have a great customer base and the store looks great, Trevor says of the Plainfield location. Now its time we bring our product out to the community. We want to know where people are going, what theyre doing and what they like.
The couple is deeply involved in the community, attending the chamber of commerce organizations in Avon and Plainfield. In fact, it was their first order of business to reach out to Plainfield schools and offer dine-and-donate assistance, coupons, and other ways to support the schools and their organizations. They love having two stores and feel it maximizes their impact. They even plan to partner with the Avon Simon Youth Academy to employ kids who need extra attention and flexibility.
We really can use both stores to take advantage of more opportunities like that and please a bigger crowd, Stephanie says. We cant wait to keep growing in this community. We are here, and we would love to serve you.
If you want to partner with Orange Leaf in any way, you can reach out to Stephanie and Trevor at
stephanie@orangeleafplainfield.net.
2499 Perry Crossing Way, Unit 114
Plainfield, IN
317-742-7515
