People For Urban Progress

I love the shirts, wallets and other accessories that you can purchase through this organization, but even more I love their heart to restoring and reusing local treasures. The biggest start they had with reusing trash was the Bush stadium. You can find the seats all over the city, in shops, at bus stops, and parks.
They have had a lot to do with obtaining better transportation downtown as well, including the new project Red Line, which has already started by measuring streets and notifying local businesses of land changes. The red line will go through the downtown metro area on College and continue to the Broadripple area. This will be fabulous for locals who are preferring to use public transportation rather than cars.
Supporting P.U.P. supports our city!

SUCH A COOL PLACE. The studio isn’t easy to find, but once you do, you feel like you’ve uncovered a hidden treasure. The people who work here are some of the most creative and interesting people around. The studio itself has beautiful lights and design and makes you want to start making your own projects. Their mission is the best part because despite all the coolness, they are all working towards a greater good. They salvage unused material from demolitions or junk yards and put it to use in the community (in a beautiful way). There are PUP chairs at Indy bus stops that were saved from Busch Stadium when it was torn down. They love having volunteers and are a great cause. They have set volunteer hours once a month and it’s only for two hours at a time– very doable. Should definitely check it out!

Wow. Just wow. I had heard of PUP and thought they were similar to USI because I know them for their 317 tees and Indianapolis apparel, but they are so much more than that.
PUP is focused on turning trash into treasure. They collect refuse from the city and repurpose it into something brand new. They’re responsible for the «pup seats» at bus stations around town that are Bush Stadium baseball seats. Way cool!
What got me was that they salvaged 13 ACRES of material from the RCA Dome roof… and now they use it to make wallets and messenger bags! SO COOL. They also have old signage from the 2012 Super Bowl that Indy hosted and use it in the bags, as well.
PUP gathers volunteers to scrounge around the junkyard every month. For example, they use old seat belts as straps for bags… how creative and smart!
PUP has a great mission and is doing really cool things in the city — check ‘em out! The studio in Fountain Square is a bit hard to find in the Murphy Arts Building but it’s a cool studio vibe. My only complaint is that I wish their products weren’t so expensive — i had my eye on a duffel bag but it was $ 150+ dollars!

What a great way to spend a Saturday morning! ‘Working’ with an organization giving life to items once thought of as unusable is a reward. PUP enhances the word pride for Indianapolis. The gang is creative in the use of leftover artifacts from the city and businesses no longer with us.
Really, old parking meters with lights! Dome fabric made into bags and purses and forgotten orange seats from Busch Stadium. PUP pops up these orange gems around the city, after they have been cleaned and mounted.
You too can own a piece of another era’s culture. Inexpensive if you want to clean and mount them yourself.
PUP perpetually propagates post product performance.

It has been such a blast to watch this organization blossom into one of Indy’s leading creative powerhouses and non profits. Most often when I think of pup I think of a bustling First Friday night in their Murphy Building studio where the coolness and 317 love is oozing out the door. Or, I think of the sidewalks of Indy adorned with their Bush Stadium pup seats for bus stops. Whatever project this crew gets their hands on tends to be a resounding success for one and all. Keep up the awesome work and thank you for all you do to make the city *that* much sweeter.

Oh, PUP, I am a serious admirer. I genuinely love this concept. I am not sure if it is because of my unreasonable emotional connection with the Dome (due to many a HS marching band competitions) or just that I love seeing projects like this bring the community together, but this organization is one of the top reasons that make me so proud to live in this city.
We have altered our Irvington bungalow décor around the unique items that we have purchased from PUP. They are excellent, quality, pieces that inspire conversation every time we invite people over. I love feeling like I have little pieces of Indianapolis history around my house, while contributing to a great cause. Not to mention the fact that, due to our banner shower curtain, we just refer to the bathroom as ‘The Super Bowl’ now.

The epitome of Indianapolis.
PUP combines history, conservation, and fashion to create the most appealing and impactful pieces of wearable art you’re gonna find. Area code (317) tees; clutches and wallets made of the former RCA Dome rooftop; totes and curtains made of Super Bowl signage… if you don’t own one of these items, you’re not a true Indy-​an.