Happy Friday! This newsletter is for the newbies, the lifers, the townies, and the domers.
In today’s digest:
Best Cocktail Bar Reviews: The Whiskey Exchange
First Fridays
Halloween Events
Housing Boom in the Bend
This issue is 979 words, a 2.5-minute read.
The Digest
🍸 The Whiskey Exchange
Our next stop takes us right downtown to: The Whiskey Exchange ✨
Aesthetic
On Jefferson Blvd, just off Michigan, lies a historic building that used to house a bank on the bottom floor. Now, in the main lobby of the former bank, Whiskey Exchange has located itself. The general mood feels like a speakeasy with various couches, high tops, and a ladder behind the bar that moves side to side along a rail.
Audience
If you’re sitting in an area with multiple couches, this is definitely a great spot for 6-7 people to gather. However, I personally prefer this spot for a date night or a meetup with a couple of close friends.
Affordability
With a happy hour from 4-7 pm, Monday - Friday, the Exchange is a great option if you’re balling on a budget! A long list of cocktails, wine and beer options are all $7 or less during this time.
French 75 Review
As you all know at this point, the best gin for a French 75 is Empress. However, while The Exchange did not have Empress in stock on the evening I visited, they substituted a Japanese Roku Gin, which was absolutely incredible.
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The Happenings in the Bend
🍂 YESvember
It’s the first Friday in November next week! Say yes to something new and check it out!
Howard Park Fall Youth Club
Join the Howard Park Fall Youth Club on November 1 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — a free, fun-filled gathering for kids age 5–17 featuring fall-themed games like a Turkey Hunt and Fall Relay Race, group talks in a “Wish Circle,” plus hot cocoa and granola bars.
It’s a wonderful opportunity for young people to connect, play, and reflect on gratitude and giving in a warm, community-oriented setting.
More events in South Bend
A mix of things happening this weekend and into next week!
🍸 Bar Louie Halloween Party: Need Halloween plans? Enjoy a good party? Head on over to Bar Louie! Details
🏈 🎃 Manny’s Halloween Party: Sports bar more your thing? Manny’s is also hosting a Halloween party tonight. Details
👹 Monster Bash @ Four Winds Casino: Four Winds is hosting its own Halloween Bash - check it out: Details
💃 Dia de los Muertos: The South Bend Symphony is hosting its annual Dia de los Muertos concert, free and open to the public. Details
🏒 Notre Dame V Michigan Hockey: Grab your tickets for the game against Michigan and cheer on the Fighting Irish! Details
🎺 Coco @ The Debartolo Performing Arts Center: Debartolo is showing Coco on Sunday, November 2nd at 1 pm and 2:45 pm! Tickets
👻 Notre Dame V Fairleigh Dickinson: Grab your tickets for the Women’s basketball team’s bout against Dickinson! Tickets
🐯 Brew Werks Food Drive: Brew Werks is running a food drive this week! Any donations you make will enter you into a drawing to win a lifetime mug club membership! Details
☁️ Halloween at Cloudwalking: Cloudwalking is hosting a Halloween Party this weekend so check it out → Details
✨Coming soon✨
🍷 Counterspell Cafe Grand Opening: The owners of Cloudwalking are opening a sister location in the Near Northwest Neighborhood - check out their Instagram for details about their soft openings this week. Their grand opening is on November 8th. Details
👻 Yuletide Bazaar @ Langlab: Mark your calendar for the first Christmas bazaar of the season, where you can pick up all the sweetest locally made trinkets! Details
💡 IDEA Week Workshops: “Building on the energy of IDEA Week 2025, join us for an evening of high-impact learning, networking, and inspiration as we celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week in the South Bend – Elkhart region! Whether you’re a startup founder, small business owner, or curious innovator, these workshops are designed to give you the practical tools and proven strategies to grow smarter, faster, and stronger.”
Both sessions will have the same speakers, so sign up for either the South Bend session or the Elkhart session!
Rapid Fire Hits
Quick headlines and things to know from all around 🌐
🏡 South Bend Housing Market Boom: South Bend is making national waves as one of the country’s fastest-rising housing markets, jumping to #3 on the Wall Street Journal/Realtor.com Emerging Housing Markets list. With median home prices around $312,000—well below the national average—and homes selling faster than pre-pandemic levels, the city’s blend of affordability, economic stability, and proximity to major metros like Chicago is drawing both buyers and investors. It’s a vibrant moment for a community balancing small-city charm with big-market momentum. Details
🎃 CJ Carr “More Than Just Numbers”: CJ Carr is quickly proving that leadership and maturity aren’t about age but attitude. As a freshman quarterback for Notre Dame Fighting Irish, he’s thrown for over 1,800 yards, kept interceptions to just four, and achieved one of the top QB ratings in the country — all while his coaches and teammates praise his poise under pressure. Details
🎃 Trick - or - Treating?: Check out when your neighborhood will be trick-or-treating this Halloween! Details
Happy Monday! See you around the Bend!
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