The Digest

Bulk battle

Take notes. Costco is giving people an absolute masterclass in marketing. Over the past few weeks, they’ve been campaigning at Pinheads, BJ’s (another competitor), and now Sam’s Club. Having a tent is one thing, but a sign twirler too? That’s savage 🤣 

Why? For their new location opening on November 21st at SR 37/146th. AKA “border” Fishers area.

More genius: This is on top of their inflation-proof icon: the $1.50 hot dog and soda combo. They’ve guaranteed it will stay this way forever. The average price of a hotdog at a stadium is $6. Costco clearly knows what they’re doing with their marketing. They have plenty of openings if you’re looking for a job.

No time for crime

Batman and Robin is so 1940. Fishers PD has it covered with their new tech. Rapid DNA testing. And it’s one of 3 departments in the country with it.

Why it matters: The tech lets the police identify victims in just 90 minutes. Instead of weeks to months, a family of a motor accident could be given real closure. Violent crime can be identified much faster. The list goes on.

Go deeper: It’s not without pitfalls.

• The FBI says it’s not as accurate as regular testing

• Evidence gathering is sensitive stuff. A single department (Fishers PD) is doing collection, sampling, and interpreting results without a 3rd party

• The tech skirts the expertise that a true DNA lab might have

• Using the tech to string together other crimes can be risky, given everything above

Nothing is perfect, and the city is using the tech today. They’re solving old crimes, helping other departments, and helping advance incredible technology with lots of potential.

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The Happenings

Last call for free produce. Fishers Agripark is closing shop this Saturday. There are plenty of peppers, herbs, and kale (the healthiest green on the planet) to take. It’s all free — so don’t wait. They might run out!

🌎️ KassieKares trivia night. Join Daniel’s Vineyard for a fun night of trivia supporting local non-profit KassieKares. Enjoy wine, win some prizes, and support your local non-profits. Thursday, Sept 28. Free.

Summer cruise. Show off your hot rods, trucks, or custom rides while savoring tasty hot dogs and burgers at Portillo’s. Happens tonight from 6-8 pm at Portillo’s.

🎶 Live Music.

Slow few days.

SIX FIGURES | 6 - 8 pm | King Jugg
Zac Hill on the patio | 5 - 8 pm | Park Place Pub

❗️Have an event, live music, or similar coming up? Email us to get featured here.

Local Business

From Social Media to Coffee Empire ☕️ 

We’re doing a new video series! No promises on how often, but we want to highlight businesses and communities in Fishers who are making a big impact. This week, we interviewed Sajjad Shah: the owner of MOTW Coffee.

With social media and a dream, Sajjad Shah is living proof of the power of storytelling. MOTW started as an Instagram page to challenge Muslim stereotypes.

It quickly became a storytelling platform, gaining almost 700,000 followers and raising $20 million for humanitarian causes.

After seeing the impact he could have just through social media, he wanted a conduit to the real world. Inspired by his wife’s heritage, MOTW Coffee was born.

MOTW Coffee serves more than just coffee. Sajjad’s wife’s chai is a staple on their menu, alongside other Arabic and Southeast Asian pastries and snacks.

This guy is a legend. He doesn’t run MOTW Coffee like Panda Express asking to round up your pennies. Instead, he takes real action. Here are my favorites from our convo:

• He put together a wedding for 2 Afghan refugees and held it at their shop. The community pitched in, making a dress, bringing flowers, cake, and everything else a wedding would have. All for free.

• A homeless man was sleeping out by their dumpsters in the middle of winter. So he put together a fundraiser and raised almost $15k. That money put him in a hotel and got him on his feet. Now he’s bought his own car, has a home, and a stable job.

Here’s a few fun questions and answers.

Q: What business superpower do you wish you had? A: The ability to fly.

Q: Who are two people, living or dead, you would invite to MOTW and why? A: Muhammed Ali and Steve Jobs. (You’ll have to listen to the video to learn why 😉)

Q: What’s one thing you want to share with Fishers? A: Please support local. It goes a long way. Many mom-and-pop shops are struggling, and supporting them helps businesses give back to the community.

Follow our Instagram, where we’ll post clips and the full conversation. You can find MOTW Coffee in downtown Fishers. Please check them out and support local!

This is NOT a sponsored post.

Quick hits

Indy is a top 3 fastest housing market in the nation. Almost 60% of all homes listed in the past month were sold in 2 weeks. In Fishers, this number is even tighter— homes are averaging only 11 days on the market 😮‍💨 Bottom line? It’s still a seller’s market.

IndyCar released its 2024 schedule this week. 17 races are starting in March. And, of course, the Indy 500 🏁 Which will happen on Sunday, May 26.

Voting details. Election season is upon us and will happen before you know it. Here’s everything you need to know to vote this season. More here.

• Tuesday, Oct 10 | Deadline for voter registration

• Wednesday, Oct 11 | In-person early voting opens

• Thursday, Oct 26 | Deadline for vote by mail

• Monday, Nov 6 | Early voting ends

• Tuesday, Nov 7 | Election Day + mail-in ballot receipt deadline

Insurance made simple with Luke Cathcart

Your wallet is crying. The economy sucks, but that’s not why. At least 62% of Americans overpay for just car insurance. Add home, renters, umbrella, and… you get the point. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Luke Cathcart is the independent insurance agent who works for you. Not the companies. So check up on your wallet, and let Luke give you a free policy review. No strings attached. Get started.

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