The founders and owners of Smocktown Brewery and Attic Hardware Speakeasy are Ken Johnson and Mark Sublette. Both grew up on the southside of Indianapolis, IN with Ken Johnson, Greenwood, In and Mark Sublette, Southport, In, attended Greenwood Hs and Southport HS respectively and both graduated from Purdue University’s Engineering Technology programs.

  Ken and Mark met in high School when Mark was courting Ken’s sister Theresa and later married. Both spent a great deal of time tinkering, innovating and problem solving over the years in their respective careers in Commercial Construction and Mechanical engineering respectively which afforded both the opportunity travel and live throughout the world and US.

Mark spent many years solving complex mechanical design issues dealing with fluid dynamics, motors, mechanical systems as well as other types of mechanical problems which allowed him to travel throughout Europe and China and spent two years living abroad in charming bedroom community, Marlowe, UK, West of London, a small village with more pubs then stores, these experiences fine-tuned Mark’s sense of what small pub charm and good beer were all about. Upon returning to the US, twenty years ago, Mark started home brewing he has been honing his skills every day since then which is very evident in the craft beer at Smocktown Brewery.

Ken likewise spent many years building some the of the world’s most iconic sports stadiums, airport, hotels, and other types of buildings. Traveling extensively throughout the US and spending nearly 15 years working in Manhattan as well as throughout the world doing business in Rome, Milan, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and spending time in Ireland, UK, as well as the rest of mainland Europe.  These travels and exploring the local pubs, outdoor beer gardens throughout Europe, speakeasys, breweries and eclectic architecture helped to contribute to the design or the Speakeasy and Brewery. In 2014 Ken purchased the building, built in 1906, one of first buildings in the city, with the plan to improve it and make it something Greenwood can be proud to have in the historic district.  The City and Ken entered into a GROW agreement to improve the exterior of the building in 2018 with all work being done in spring of 2020. The building was designed for restaurant/brewery concept with the glass roll up door at the front of the building and the decks and walk-up bar on the rear of the building.

Late 2020 Ken and Mark met and decided to leverage Mark’s love of craft brewing and Ken’s desire to give back to the city and do something completely different in the downtown Greenwood. The two spent the next year building, designing, procuring equipment, and fine tuning the concept completing the Brewery in October 2021, the Speakeasy in December 2020 and producing the first beer in December 2020. Ken and Mark formed the entity and wanted to have a connection to Greenwood in the name of the brewery after researching and looking at the founding of greenwood and the original name being Smocktown the decisions was made, Smocktown Brewery.   “September 30, 1823, John B. Smock and Isaac Smock, brothers who migrated from the State of Pennsylvania to Mercer County, Kentucky, settled in what is now known as Greenwood, Indiana.” (“A Brief History of Greenwood, Indiana”) These settlers each purchased 160 acres of land for $1.25 an acre at the Federal Land Office. John B. Smock built the first log cabin; Isaac Smock settled near the creek that runs through what is now known as the Old City Park.  “The settlement was first known as “Smocktown” because the majority of first settlers were people by the name of Smock, including the first postmaster, James Smock” (“A Brief History of Greenwood, Indiana”)

The brewery design was inspired by the bars and pubs in England and Greenwich Village, Manhattan, exposed brick, small intimate feel, with large screen TV, a public gathering space for socializing.  The original concept was a more formal bar but with the decisions to build the speakeasy with an ore formal feel it was decided to go with a fun innovative large bar with natural materials. The barnwood and barn siding on the bar was harvested by Ken and Mark on a Saturday from a barn that collapsed in Amity, Indiana from a generational family-owned farm, the barn was erected in the early 1900’s and collapsed months before the harvesting of the material. The material was randomly whitewashed with various colors and then assembled on site. A small kitchen and a patio bar were incorporated into the design as well as a large walk-in cooler. Beer Brewed on site in 5 BBL system with 10 BBL Fermenters and 10 BBL Brite Tanks.

Smocktown Beers:

• Stoatin Scottish Ale: Red ale
• Amberella: Amber beer
• Succession IPA: Session IPA not to hoppy
• Woot Woot Porter: Dark Beer full bodied
• Wootella: Similar to a Black and tan layered beer w Amberella and Woot Woot Porter
• Hugh Hef-e-Weizen – amber Hefeweizen colored wheat beer
• Smokin Hot Blonde
• Uncle Dunkle
• Coming up Mexican Lager Sept 1

The speakeasy concept was inspired by the speakeasies in New York city, Hollywood and Atlanta, exposed brick, classy, tin ceilings, chandeliers, dark mahogany bars, with jazz music, the top was inspired by a bar in Savanah, GA. We really wanted guests to experience something they have never experienced in the Indianapolis area and certainly not in the Greenwood area, a sophisticated place where you can dress up and be with like-minded people.