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STEADY MOVEMENT & SHIFTING INVENTORY Northeast Indiana Housing Market Numbers: Averaged days in market: 20 New Listings: 222 Closer Sales: 129 Median Sales Price: $244,900 The real estate market in Northeast Indiana continues to show steady movement, with homes still selling at a consistent pace compared to recent years. While the market is not as fast-paced as it was during peak demand, well- priced homes are still attracting strong interest from buyers. Inventory has started to slowly increase, giving buyers more options than they had in previous years. Even with this increase, available homes remain somewhat limited in certain price ranges and popular neighborhoods. This balance between supply and demand is helping the market feel more stable and less competitive overall. For both buyers and sellers, success in today's market comes down to pricing strategy, presentation, and being prepared to act when the right opportunity comes along.

This July, local families will have the opportunity to experience more than just a week of soccer. Iglesia Avalon and Surge Soccer International are partnering to host a youth soccer camp from Monday, July 13 through Sunday, July 19, inviting children entering first through sixth grade to come together for a week centered on teamwork, community, and fun. Alessandra Ryan in partnership with Surges Soccer International The camp will run daily from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and costs $15 per child. Throughout the week, campers will participate in skill-building activities, games, and team development before wrapping up the week with a soccer tournament on Saturday. Children will be grouped into teams representing different countries, allowing them to build friendships and work together throughout the week. The week will conclude on Sunday with a combined awards ceremony and bilingual church service from noon to 2 p.m., followed by a World Cup watch party beginning at 3 p.m. While the camp promises plenty of soccer, its purpose extends far beyond the field. For Alessandra Ryan, who helped bring the camp to life, soccer has always been more than a game. A lifelong player, former collegiate athlete at Huntington University, and former coach, Ryan has spent years investing in young athletes. However, it was a sports ministry trip to the Dominican Republic last year that completely changed her perspective on what soccer could accomplish. “My eyes were super opened to see how God was using soccer as a way to reach people, how to bring communities together, and how to not stay stuck in poverty,” Ryan said. “It was a really cool way to be able to bring people together and unite around one thing.” That experience introduced Ryan to sports ministry and revealed the unique ability sports have to connect people across cultures and backgrounds. “There’s been multiple times where I’ve played with people, we don’t speak the same language, but we all know how to play soccer,” she said. “Then we become friends after. It’s so fun. There’s just a different level of connection. There’s not too many things in this world that can bring people together like that.” Ryan says that belief in soccer’s ability to unite people actually began long before her experience in the Dominican Republic. Growing up, some of her favorite memories were playing pickup soccer with her dad in their neighborhood. “We used to play soccer all the time just for fun,” Ryan said. “People would come out from their backyards when they saw us playing and ask if they could join. By the end, people who started as strangers were leaving as friends. That was one of the first times I saw how soccer could truly bring people together.” Ryan credits her father with inspiring that perspective from an early age. “I can’t thank my dad enough for showing me that,” she said. “He taught me that soccer is about so much more than the game itself. It’s about creating community, welcoming people in, and giving them a place to belong.” When Ryan and her father recently stepped away from coaching after many years she suddenly found herself facing her first summer without a team. “I’ve always been coaching,” Ryan said. “This was the first summer that I wasn’t doing anything, and I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t like that.’” Rather than stepping away from the sport entirely, Ryan began thinking about ways she could continue serving local families and investing in the community. “We were like, ‘Okay, well, what if we have something locally, like a camp, for our own community?’” she recalled. “A way to bring people together.” Knowing the impact sports ministry had on her own life, Ryan immediately thought of Surge Soccer International, an organization she has worked alongside that uses soccer to share hope and build relationships around the world. When she approached her church, Iglesia Avalon, with the idea, the vision quickly became a collaborative effort. According to Alessandra, the partnership has allowed each organization to contribute its strengths. “Surge brings a lot of things to the table,” she said. “It’s really been a partnership.” Ultimately, Ryan hopes the camp offers children and families something increasingly difficult to find: genuine connection. “I thought this soccer camp would be a great way to give back to our community and bring families together,” she said. In a world that often feels divided, Ryan believes soccer still has the power to unite people. And this July, local families will have the opportunity to experience firsthand why the sport is often referred to as “the Beautiful Game.”

In less than a year, Fort Wayne Coffee Club has transformed from a grassroots idea into a rapidly growing local business with events, a mobile café, and plans for a permanent location. Founded by Ally and Cameron Youngblood, The Fort Wayne Coffee Club is redefining what it means to build community; one event, one conversation, and one cup of coffee at a time. Like many parents, the Youngbloods found that building meaningful friendships as adults wasn’t always easy, especially while navigating life with young children. What started as a personal challenge soon turned into a larger vision: creating a space where people could show up exactly as they are and feel a sense of belonging. As Ally puts it, “Creating friendships as adults is hard—and it’s even harder when you have kids. My goal was to create a group that left judgment and worries at the door and allowed people to show up fully as themselves, then leave a little less lonely.” That vision became reality on August 17, 2025, when they hosted their very first playdate. What they expected to be a small, casual gathering quickly turned into something much more meaningful. At Buckner Park, they showed up with coffee and donuts, unsure if anyone would come. “We expected at least a couple people to show—or at the least, we could pretend those already at the park were there for the coffee club,” Ally said. Instead, more than 80 people attended, many sharing the same sentiment: “we’ve needed this.” For the Youngbloods, it was a powerful confirmation that what they had created was more than just an event, it was something their community had been waiting for. From that moment, it was clear the Coffee Club was filling a real need in the community. While the early focus was on playdates for parents, demand quickly expanded beyond that audience. Messages started coming in from people without children who were also looking for connection, prompting the couple to broaden their events into something more inclusive. As the community grew, so did the business. What began as gatherings funded out of pocket soon evolved into a multi-faceted operation centered around both events and coffee. Ally describes the brand today as “a community of change makers,” noting that while it started with playdates, it has grown into “general community events centered around friendship, kindness, and coffee.” Coffee itself has always been part of the vision. After years of talking about opening a coffee shop, the couple decided to take a step in that direction by launching a mobile café. “My husband and I have always wanted to own a coffee shop and have talked about it weekly for the last 8+ years. It just felt really natural to who we are,” Ally said, explaining that creating their own drinks gave them a fun, creative outlet while serving their growing audience. From there, new ideas continued to take shape, many of them rooted in the same mission of connection and care. One of the most meaningful expansions came from a simple desire to give back. Ally shared, “We decided to offer an essential worker giveaway program where the community could nominate anyone they wanted—teachers, hospital staff, firefighters, police officers, etc—and every month we’d pick one to deliver 10 drinks free of charge.” What began as a small gesture quickly became something much bigger. “This is still one of my favorite things that we do because it’s such a small gesture to give back to those that give so much to us,” she said, adding that each delivery is intentionally personalized. “We personalize all the bottles with names and ribbons because we want every person to feel seen and like we did spend the extra couple minutes making that drink specifically for them.” As those deliveries gained traction online, the response from the community naturally expanded beyond the giveaway itself. Schools and local businesses began placing regular purchase orders, turning what started as a giveback initiative into another way the Fort Wayne Coffee Club could show up consistently for the people around them. That same mindset, prioritizing connection over competition, also shapes how they approach other local businesses. Rather than positioning themselves against other coffee shops, Ally says collaboration has always been a core value. “We believe full heartedly there is room for everyone at the table and we are all so much better together,” she explained, pointing to partnerships with local favorites like The Hive Coffee House and Mocha Lounge Dupont. It was that belief in supporting one another that opened the door to one of their most meaningful milestones, a partnership with Icing for Izaac. “Grayce [owner and founder of Icing for Izaac] feels very in sync with the Coffee Club, and our goal is similar in making our community better while supporting moms and parents,” Ally shared. The collaboration gave Fort Wayne Coffee Club a place to put down roots, creating a consistent presence within the bakery Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., while deepening their connection to the community. For Ally, it was more than just a business opportunity, it was a turning point. “This partnership feels like the foundation of the Coffee Club and when we really started to take it seriously and consider if I should leave my full-time job.” As the business continued to grow, so did the demands on Ally’s time. Balancing motherhood, a full-time job, and the rapidly expanding Coffee Club eventually led to a major decision, stepping away from her career to focus fully on the business. It wasn’t an easy choice, but it was one rooted in passion. “We knew we’d have to make the coffee club a hobby… or go all in,” she said. “It’s very scary and the riskier option but, for me, it brings me more joy than any set paycheck.” That leap has paved the way for the next chapter: the Fort Wayne Coffee Club’s first brick-and-mortar café, opening in Huntington, Indiana. The space is designed to reflect everything the brand stands for; connection, inclusivity, and community. “You can expect the standard coffee shop with the local ingredients, including our beloved Hyde Away beans, and some fun Huntington specific menu items. You’ll see an elevated play space. Think storefronts that kids can actually go into and play with a heavy focus on cleaning and sanitizing. We will have spaces to read and relax, coffee club merch that also highlights local businesses, and a kindness corner for purchasing coffee for strangers, affirmations, and free friendship bracelets/ keychains.” Ally’s vision is clear: “Whether you’re a 17-year-old high school student… a mom in the trenches of motherhood, or someone who has just preferred black drip coffee for the last 65 years, you find a place in our space and feel welcome.” Of course, the journey hasn’t been without challenges. From early logistical hurdles, like figuring out equipment and transportation, to the complexities of hiring staff and opening a physical location, each step has required learning on the fly. Still, Ally views those challenges as part of the process. “We have learned SO much and I know this will continue to be the case - forever.”  As the Fort Wayne Coffee Club continues to grow, its foundation remains rooted in something simple but powerful; connection. What began as a small gathering has become a space where people feel seen, supported, and welcomed, no matter their stage of life. For Ally and her family, that purpose is what makes every challenge and leap of faith worth it. “Life is too short to not chase the things that bring you joy, no matter how scary they may seem,” she said. “It’s beautiful chaos, but I’ve never felt more sure that this is what my family is meant to do for the greater Fort Wayne area.” And behind it all is a deeper foundation that continues to guide them forward. As Ally shared, “Rooted in the love and example of our parents and family—who taught us to always do what’s right and pour endless love into our community and girls—we’re here because they believed in us first.”

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Discover the inspiring journeys of entrepreneurs and business owners as they overcome challenges, pursue their passions, and create businesses in Fort Wayne, IN. Each article offers advice as a entrepreneur, life as a business owner, and how each business owner built their business. Fuzz Friends Pet Care Services: Where Entrepreneur Genevieve Gutzwiller’s Love For Animals Shine Mar 31 4 min read Paw and Petals: How Fort Wayne Entrepreneur Trista Miller Balances Passion and her Business Fido’s Forest, Polite Paws, and Rose’s Bouquets. Oct 19, 2024 11 min read From Board to Boss: Eric Holloway’s Entrepreneurial Journey to Owning Locally Owned Rise Skate Shop in Fort Wayne, IN. Aug 3, 2024 7 min read 1 2 3 4 5 Page Sponsorship Fort Wayne Entrepreneur Stories On this page, you will find captivating stories of individuals who have experienced the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, ultimately achieving remarkable success in Fort Wayne, IN. From humble beginnings, these stories will showcase the resilience, innovation, and determination that drive these entrepreneurs to make their dreams a reality. Get ready to be motivated and learn valuable lessons from their experiences as they navigate challenges, overcome obstacles, and create thriving businesses. Don't miss this opportunity to be inspired by the stories of local entrepreneurs who have turned their visions into remarkable success stories! Fort Wayne Entrepreneurs If you're a Fort Wayne entrepreneur and would like a story about you and your business, fill out a form below, "Share Your Story," to start the process of becoming the next article for the Fort Wayne Business Journal. Share Your Story