Ripple Boulder
Indianapolis, Indiana
Specs: Ripple Boulder, a boutique bouldering gym located in the SoBro neighborhood of north Indianapolis, is expected to open in the coming months. Owned by Collin Jester, Madeline McKinnon and Caleb Johnson, the gym was founded by Jester after he saw success at Summit City Climbing Co., a gym he co-owns in Fort Wayne, Indiana, that’s run independently from Ripple Boulder. Jester attributes that result in large part to Summit City’s focus on routesetting and friendly staff, which he noted has helped create a welcoming environment at the gym. Jester sought to carry these core values to a second gym and, after his market research highlighted Indianapolis as a growing climbing hub, opted for a boutique-style bouldering concept in the city. Located along the Monon Trail in an area Jester said is designed for walkable, urban living, Ripple Boulder’s foundation centers on providing a smaller, community-driven climbing space with a unique trail-side location to attract active, local customers.
When looking for a space for Ripple Boulder, the ownership team prioritized finding a prime location rather than a larger building footprint to foster the tight-knit community vision Jester had. The gym was constructed in a preexisting building on a major bike and pedestrian corridor, which Jester hopes will help integrate the space into the neighborhood and encourage locals to check it out. The spot is also surrounded by complementary businesses—such as a coffee shop, brewery and coworking space—with which Jester plans to partner in the future. The SoBro neighborhood’s family-friendly and young demographic, he said, felt well-suited to a boutique gym concept, and eventually the team got to work planning out the 4,000 square feet of interior floor space.
Ripple Boulder was designed to emphasize accessibility and an outdoor lifestyle, Jester continued, which resulted in elements like bike racks outside the gym, water fountains on the trail, and a large glass wall connecting the gym to the neighboring coffee shop. The gym itself features 2,400 square feet of climbing wall surface, including a floating boulder that’s centrally visible from the Monon trail. The boulder—which Jester said is inspired by some European climbing gyms that have a similar concept—will serve as the gym’s visual centerpiece and was designed to capture attention from trail users and passersby. The leadership team opted to include more climbing-focused amenities—such as a Tension Board 2, campus board and hangboards—they selected after receiving community feedback. They also prioritized climbing terrain inside the space to maintain a friendly dynamic with neighboring businesses; instead of providing everything in one space, the team hopes to rely on local partnerships to better serve community members pursuing a well-rounded lifestyle of live, work and play, explained Jester.
In addition to inspiring aspects of the Ripple Boulder facility, Jester’s experience as a gym owner helped inform the team’s collaborative approach with city authorities throughout the project. A key decision was to actively engage city officials early and often, with a goal of turning the regulatory process into a partnership as well. Jester’s initial apprehension of having more government involvement, following permitting delays and shutdowns at the first gym, shifted to a more cooperative mindset for the second gym. Jester expects this approach will smooth the construction and operational phases at Ripple Boulder, reducing the risk of shutdowns or delays this time around.
Walls: OnSite
Flooring: OnSite
CRM Software: Beta
Website: www.rippleboulder.co
Instagram: @RippleBoulder
In Their Words: “I think, especially in the U.S., I would say that bigger is not always better. In a lot of ways, a smaller facility and really being focused on things that you’re doing, and focusing on creating good systems, can actually be very valuable.” – Collin Jester, Ripple Boulder Founder and Co-Owner
