Columbus, Indiana is dominated by large manufacturers and healthcare, but there is still a solid base of local small businesses and startups — boutiques, shops, services, creative firms, and tech-adjacent shops. This is the working list of the next 20 Indiana Businesses Exposed-style profiles, plus the template each piece will follow.

Working coverage list

1. The St. Denis (boutique) — Women's fashion boutique in downtown Columbus.
2. Viewpoint Books — Independent bookstore and community hub.
3. Boutique Elise — Women's clothing and gift shop.
4. Exit 76 Antique Mall — Local antique and collectibles marketplace.
5. Bakers Fine Gifts & Accessories — Gifts, home décor, and seasonal items.
6. Out of the Blue — Gift shop with unique, curated items.
7. A local Columbus coffee shop (slot reserved for a hyper-local cafe).
8. An auto-detailing or paint-protection-film shop — common in this area; specific name forthcoming.
9. A home-services contractor (drywall, tile, foundation, waterproofing) — using Cornerstone-adjacent ties.
10. A local IT or computer-repair shop — positioned as a "That Computer Guy"-type peer review.
11. A local marketing / web-design freelancer or small agency — often solo or 2–3 person shops.
12. A Columbus-based EV or solar-adjacent installer — growing clean-energy services interest.
13. A local food truck or small-batch food producer — bakeries, hot-sauce makers, coffee roasters.
14. A Columbus-based photography or videography business — event, portrait, or commercial shop.
15. A local fitness studio or gym startup — CrossFit-type, yoga, or small box gym.
16. A Columbus-based tax-prep or accounting service for small businesses — very common, highly relevant.
17. A local handyman or appliance-repair / HVAC service — "as-seen-on-TV"-style home-repair.
18. A Columbus-based graphic design or branding studio — often one-person or very small teams.
19. A local podcasting or media production shop — video production, audio editing, content creation.
20. A Columbus-based AI-assisted business-automation or software-consulting firm — my own niche — covered as a peer-review piece.

How each profile will be built

Each of the 20 entries will use the same template applied to Don's Auto, Credit Acceptance, NTN East, and Lumos:

1. Narrative lead — a short customer story or real-world use case.
2. Business profile — who owns it, what they do, what they promise customers.
3. Patterns & red flags — public reviews, complaints, BBB notes, civil-action records (if any).
4. Buyer-tips / worker-tips section — concrete advice for dealing with that type of business safely.
5. Call to action — "If you've interacted with [business], share your story so we can build a fuller picture."