Neat-o

Friendly staff and a nice but modest selection by local artists. The girl at the counter was enthusiastic about their items, which was really nice. I’ll definitely be back!!!

Isn’t it amazing that you can live in a city your entire life and sometimes you just miss something?
Neat-​o is a family owned «original work of art shop» located in a side alley in Broad Ripple right across from the Chase Bank. As I was wheeling around Broad Ripple Avenue, I spotted its door much in the same way I found myself deliriously happy that day many years ago when I finally realized that the Alley Cat Lounge is, in fact, located in the alley (though they do now also have a Front Room, which I also didn’t know!).
Neat-​o features local artists whose works are presented on consignment and sold at affordable prices. Now then, I think it goes without saying that «affordable» means different things to different people but the great thing about Neat-​o is that they really do have original art for just about every budget ranging from a few bucks to hundreds of dollars. I’d say a good majority of what I saw presented today was less than $ 100, which is a terrific price point for putting an original piece of art in your home and supporting the career of a local artist AND a local art gallery.
If you cross over to Neat-​o in the middle of the block, there’s a modest lip of a curb to get to their sidewalk. The entrance is level with the sidewalk, something that’s not always true in Broad Ripple. As you enter, you immediately get a warm and inviting yet energized feeling from being surrounded by a wide variety of original art and craft pieces that are well presented in the brightly lit store. Neat-​o writes that their mission is to provide more than just an art shopping experience, but to also provide an outlet for artists to share their story and the passion behind their art.
I found several pieces that I loved. I had a hard time not taking them home this time, but I resisted with the full intention to return in the near future. I fell in love with the paintings of Jennifer Scherr and the photography of Mike Barnhart, but I truly appreciated everything including the crafts that were presented and much more. The store itself is small, yet it’s hard to imagine anyone who appreciates the arts going there and not finding something with which they connect.
The person working at Neat-​o today was relatively quiet, but helpful and personable. The store even has a restroom that would work for a wheelchair — that’s practically unheard of for art galleries/​stores.
Neat-​o has apparently been open for a couple of years, but I have to guess that it’s still one of Indy’s hidden gems given that I’m only the second review here on Unilocal.If you get a chance, check them out and if you’re looking to add some local art to your home, and you should be, it’ll be a great place to start your search.

Yep, it really is neat-​o! Who knew there was an art gallery/​store on the side of Chase bank? Apparently it has slipped under my radar for two years! They have local artists who sell on consignment (i.e. set their own prices). So you might find a variance in costs for different artists. They had some very fun items with local flavor, such as a $ 32 bottle opener that was in the shape of 3−1−7 (the Indianapolis area code). I bought a rusty steel Indiana with a heart cutout for $ 20. The owners/​employees were very friendly and fun. And they had a customer bathroom for shopping (hard to find sometimes in Broad Ripple if you don’t want to duck into a nasty bar).