What is actually new at the far end of 116th Street this winter? From Hamilton Proper, the master-planned community around Hawthorns Golf & Country Club, the way out to the rest of Fishers is 116th Street, reached from Brooks School Road. Head west far enough and you reach The Union at Fishers District, by I-69. In early November 2026, more is signed there than is open.
This month, one new restaurant has opened at The Union. A fine-dining concept, a hotel and an outdoor drinks zone are still signed, under construction or waiting on approval.
The Opening That Already Happened
On Oct. 27, Flower Child opened at 9344 Union Place Dr. It is the brand's 47th location and its second in Indiana, according to Current in Fishers. The restaurant's own Fishers location page now says it is open.
The freestanding building is 3,500 square feet, with an open kitchen and covered outdoor seating. The mural outside pairs the brand's lemons with the line "Let Your Soul Shine." The Current story lists these menu items:
- The Mother Earth Bowl, The Rebel "French Dip" Wrap and the Avocado Caesar Salad
- Gluten-Free Mac & Cheese, with gluten-free desserts such as Lemon Olive Oil Cake and a Double Chocolate Almond Brownie
- House-made Rose Petal Lemonade, kombucha on tap, seasonal sangria, beer and wine
You can dine in or order through the Flower Child app for curbside pickup or delivery. Covered patio seating will matter more in March than in December. For now, the curbside option is what makes a weeknight dinner order from the east side practical.
Flower Child's vice president of operations, Dave Luz, explained the choice of site in a statement quoted by Current in Fishers:
"With The Union at Fishers District's dynamic mix of shopping, dining and entertainment, the suburban destination felt like a natural gathering place for people to spend time together."
A smaller change came earlier in the year. Clutch Kitchen was serving a limited menu by mid-January at 9713 District North Dr. It took over the former Fishers Test Kitchen space, and renovations were still planned at the time, according to Current in Fishers.
The Longer List of Signed Tenants
Flower Child signed its lease in January, in the same announcement as a bigger project. On Jan. 6, developer Thompson Thrift announced that Cunningham Restaurant Group, the Indianapolis company behind Rize, BRU Burger Bar, Provision, Livery and Vida, had leased a two-story building at The Union. The plan calls for about 5,700 square feet of fine dining upstairs and a 2,400-square-foot small-plates bar on the ground floor. The concept was described as still being finalized and unique to both Fishers and the group's lineup. The City of Fishers' announcement gives the same layout. It does not name the restaurant or give an opening date.
For a household that drives to Carmel or downtown Indianapolis for a long dinner, this signed lease is the one to follow. It is also the one with the least information about timing.
The same release named two more new leases, the dessert and drink shop Dot Sugar and the restaurant and bar The Oakmont. It also listed tenants announced earlier: Piedra, Kitchen Social, Niku Sushi, Everbowl, Racha Thai, Renova Aesthetics, Sweathouz and Unplug Soy Candles. The developer's retail and dining directory adds Jetset Pilates, Hupp Jewelers, Tous les Jours and Jeni's Ice Cream. The directory lists tenants. It does not say which shops are open, so check a business's own hours before you drive over for one in particular.
That matters most for Jeni's. In July, Current in Fishers reported the ice cream shop based on the developer's site map and said the company had not confirmed the location. Until Jeni's announces it, treat the shop as planned.
| Item | Status, early November 2026 |
|---|---|
| Flower Child, 9344 Union Place Dr. | Opened Oct. 27 |
| Clutch Kitchen, 9713 District North Dr. | Open since January, renovations planned at the time |
| Cunningham Restaurant Group, two-story concept | Leased in January, unnamed, no opening date |
| Dot Sugar, The Oakmont | Leases announced in January |
| Jeni's Ice Cream | Shown by the developer, not confirmed by the company |
| AC Hotel at The Union, 135 rooms | Topped out in September, early 2027 opening expected |
| Fishers District DORA | Approved by council Aug. 17, waiting on the state |
A Hotel and a Drinks Zone Are Still on the Way
The next two changes depend on a construction schedule and a state approval.
The 135-room AC Hotel at The Union reached its structural topping-out in September 2026. As of an Oct. 5 update from Holladay Construction Group, the project was on pace to open in early 2027. Nearby at The Crossing, the city announced a luxury lifestyle hotel with retail in February. It replaces the previously planned Chicken N Pickle, which could not meet the city's timeline, according to Current in Fishers. No opening date was given. Once the hotels open, out-of-town guests can stay on the same block as dinner.
The bigger change to how an evening there works is the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area. The Fishers City Council approved DORAs for both the Nickel Plate District and Fishers District in an Aug. 17 vote, Current in Fishers reported. The Fishers District zone starts at The Yard, just south of 116th Street and east of IKEA Way. It takes in The Villas, Forum Credit Union, The Crossing and the Fishers Event Center. The city's DORA page says the district also covers The Union and excludes The Slate residential area.
Council shortened the hours first proposed. Both zones are set to run Monday through Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m., and Friday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. The city's rules call for a "SOLD" sticker on participating businesses and an approved DORA cup. Only drinks bought from participating businesses can be carried in the district, and a DORA drink must be thrown out on leaving the zone.
None of this is in effect yet. The city says the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission must approve the plan before a start date is set, and Fishers does not appear on the commission's list of active DORAs. Carmel, Noblesville and Westfield already have DORAs, and Westfield has two. This section describes the rules as the city has published them. It is general information, not legal advice, so check the city's page for the final terms once the state acts.
The Winter Dates Worth Saving
With the bigger openings still ahead, the reason to go this season is the event calendar at The Yard.
Glow-N-Flow is on the Fishers District calendar for Nov. 5. It is an outdoor yoga class at The Yard with a neon theme.
The bigger date is Sunday, Dec. 6, when the district holds Merry & Bright at Fishers District, billed as a newly reimagined holiday celebration. The day runs in this order:
- From 11 a.m. to noon, pets get their own Santa photos, and a paw-print ornament station is open.
- At noon, the event opens to everyone, with hot cocoa and holiday caroling in a heated tent at The Yard.
- During the afternoon, there are train rides around The Yard, a life-size snow globe for photos, crafts, watercolor family portraits and photos with Santa.
- Upstairs on the second level of Sun King, the Fishers Arts Council hosts a makers market with local vendors.
Dogs come first and the general crowd arrives at noon, so you can plan the day either way. Arrive around 11 with the dog and the ornament station, or wait until midday and spend the afternoon on the makers market and Santa photos.
We at Allen Williams follow changes like these along 116th because they affect daily life in Hamilton Proper, and over time they can affect how buyers see the address. If you want to know how a growing Fishers District figures into what your home could sell for, request a complimentary home valuation and we'll take you through it.