A Poet, a Restaurateur, and a Small-Town Dream: Nick Blackburn is Bringing People Together

From Cincinnati Kitchens to an Indiana Community Favorite: The Story Behind the Unique White Rabbit Lounge

(Versailles, Ind.) - Three years ago, Nick Blackburn took a chance on a small Indiana town and opened a tavern with a big idea: create a place where people could gather, eat and drink well, feel welcome, and see their community reflected back at them.

Today, The White Rabbit Lounge in Versailles is no longer just a new local business. It has become an award-winning destination known for its distinctive food, creative bar atmosphere, and deep commitment to giving back.

It is also known for the kind of details that make people want to look twice: stairs hidden behind a bookcase that lead to a secret outdoor area, booths and tables for dining, comfy sofas and game consoles for conversation and fun, books and art for browsing, and a staff ready to suggest something completely new from the menu.

But what makes the story especially compelling is the person behind it. Nick is a restaurant professional, a nationally recognized poet and published author since his teenage years, and a community-minded owner who has turned his business into more than a place to eat and drink.

Nick was born in Cincinnati and completed school in Northern Kentucky. Before coming to Indiana, he had built a comfortable career managing restaurants and breweries, operated a recording studio, performing regularly on the poetry open mic circuit, and taught poetry workshops. Life was good.

Then, in 2024, his sister and brother-in-law, who had already made the leap to small-town Indiana, asked him to move and help them open their second business, The White Rabbit Lounge. Nick agreed to help run it. A few months later, when his sister changed her mind about owning it, he purchased both the tavern and the building. He still insists she tricked him.

At first, Nick was new to Indiana, new to quiet small-town living, and new to the community itself. So he did what he does best: he listened. He paid attention to what customers wanted and what no one else was serving. Then he added his own sense of quirkiness to the menu, the décor, and the experience.

Before long, people started coming in just to see the place. Many stayed, returned, and brought others with them. He listened, learned, and connected — just as a true poet does. Just like building layers of a poem, he has built a business that serves the town in more ways than one.

His community involvement has become part of The White Rabbit’s identity. He has asked customers to nominate teachers and single moms to receive cash prizes. He started Night Markets in the parking lot to showcase local artists and crafters. He recently organized a silent auction of local business donations to raise money for the Ripley County Humane Society. And the list keeps growing.

When asked why he spends so much time helping others, Nick gives an answer that resonates in a big city or a small town: “It was the way I was raised.”

Local residents have responded. The White Rabbit has helped create pride, activity, and connection in town. It brings people together across generations and even across distances, with some customers now bragging about how many hours they drive to get there.

They come for the specialty smashed burgers and sandwiches, the inspired flatbreads, salads, appetizers, creative cocktails and mocktails. They also come for the atmosphere. As one reviewer put it, “If you haven't been to the White Rabbit and taken a trip down the rabbit hole you are seriously late for a most important date!”

Most of all, they come for the experience Nick has created. He says he sees himself as “a tour guide to a good time!”

Now this nationally respected poet, skilled urban restaurateur, and pony-tailed tattooed mentor to a growing staff is preparing to celebrate The White Rabbit’s third year on August 29.

In true White Rabbit fashion, Nick plans some laugh-out-loud fun, including traveling around the square in a horse-drawn carriage. He warns: if you see him waving from the carriage like he owns a castle instead of a bar, mind your business. Then head down the rabbit hole for a cold drink!

And, also in typical White Rabbit fashion, the birthday celebration will include a way to give back. His social media invitation says it best:

“Instead of just throwing ourselves a party, we want to use our birthday to give back. With back-to-school season right around the corner, we’ll be collecting school supplies for local families who could use a little extra help. Backpacks, notebooks, folders, pencils, water bottles… all the everyday essentials that can add up quickly. If you’d like to donate, we’ll have a collection set up at The White Rabbit.

And if you know a local family that could use some help, please send us a private message. In a small town, we don’t need to put anyone’s situation on display. We’d much rather quietly help where we can.

Three years ago you took a chance on a weird little place called The White Rabbit. We’d love to spend our birthday giving a little of that kindness back.”

Three years in, The White Rabbit Lounge has become more than a restaurant, more than a bar, and more than a clever trip “down the rabbit hole.” It has become a reflection of the person who took a chance on it - creative, generous, a little unexpected, and deeply rooted in the people around him. For Nick Blackburn, success is clearly measured not only in awards, full tables, and loyal customers, but in the chance to make his corner of small-town Indiana feel a little more connected, a little more cared for, and a lot more fun.