Jessica Haug-Sigler, a resident of Highland, is a woman spinning many plates. Set to graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in the spring of 2022, Haug-Sigler is a mother of three, a Highland Middle School art teacher, a part-owner of Green Door Books in Hobart, an artist, and a muralist.
Art and outreach go hand-in-hand as an educator, and Haug-Sigler found herself diving headfirst into teaching just a few years ago as a substitute teacher while her kids were in school.
“I just started working as a teacher less than six years ago and didn't realize that I'd fall in love with it. I've worked with kids throughout my life and always liked it, but I didn't realize that it was what I wanted to do," said Haug-Sigler. "At my age, I thought something subbing would be something I could do where my kids were in school to keep me busy. I loved it so much that I wanted to be there every day. So, I went back to school to make it happen,"
Haug-Sigler is a Highland resident, so applying to work within the Highland school district was a no-brainer.
“I've never worked in another school district. I can't imagine having better administrators than we do. I feel really lucky. I feel really supported,” said Haug-Sigler. “Even as a sub, I felt really supported. I feel like they know everybody's names. I love working in the community where I live. I love knowing where my kids are going to school and who their teachers are. I just really like Highland and being a part of that school system. I can't imagine wanting to go anywhere else.”
While balancing being an educator and working toward her Bachelor’s degree, Haug-Sigler has also become a part-owner of Green Door Books after being an active member of the community that frequents the store’s many arts events.
“My friend, Michael Massengill, opened Green Door with another friend, Sreten Jovanovic. Over time, as things changed, they decided that it would be helpful to have a couple people come in to take some of the burden and take on some different roles. They reached out, and I feel like this really awesome surprise. I was thrilled to be a part of it then as an artist who was already involved in it. Now, to have some ownership in it is the coolest thing ever,” said Haug-Sigler.
Being part-owner quickly became a big part of Haug-Sigler’s life. Within the past two years, Green Door Books remodeled its first location on Main Street in Hobart and then quickly moved to a larger location down the street next to El Capitan.
“We joke about it being my social life because I've made so many friends here, I know half of the people that walk in the door. I know their faces. I know their names. It really is like a family, as cheesy as that sounds. I just love it here,” said Haug-Sigler.
Over the years, Haug-Sigler has many fond memories at Green Door Books, both as an owner and an artist.
“It will never get old to have somebody come in and say they've never been here before," Haug-Sigler said. "I get to tell them the books are $1 and that we also have these crazy events that we do every month. There have been so many cool memories, like when we moved down the street, that was a really big deal. Before we moved, we also totally ripped things apart and reorganized the old store."
“My favorite part is getting to see relationships being built from different events that we have," she continued. "There have been some kind of magical nights where we have poetry readings in the rain outside and art nights where there were so many people in the room that they were spilling out into the street. Just those little magical, unexpected moments we had.”
Those relationships Haug-Sigler has built are key to being a partial owner at Green Door Books. Beginning as a local artist who showcased her work at the first location, she has grown to be a pillar in the local art community and as a small business owner. Not only does she build her own friendships from behind the counter, but Haug-Sigler gets to watch relationships flourish on the floor every day.
“One of my favorite memories is when we had two women show up here. They were both from different states and were best friends. They picked a random bookstore on Google Maps, and it was our store. They met here and stayed here the whole day. They decided that this is where they're going to meet for their annual trip every year. There's always little magical things that happen here,” said Haug-Sigler.
There’s more magic to come from Green Door Books and Haug-Sigler in the future.
“We're just getting started. I think the initial idea for this store was to bring literacy and community to this neighborhood. We want to keep expanding on that and bringing art and people together," she said. "People can expect more events. No matter what you're into, we have something for you here. We've got every genre book you can imagine. We've got an event for everybody. We've got you something for kids, something for all ages."
As a small business owner and independent artist, Haug-Sigler wants the community to know that the bookstore is open for everyone and is here to stay.
“I think that a lot of people think that bookstores are a dying business. This place proves that it doesn't have to be. People still love books. People still love getting together and celebrating art and poetry. It's not just the books. It's not just the art. It's not just the events. It's all of it together,” said Haug-Sigler.
As Haug-Sigler continues to be an influential role model as an educator and business owner, Region residents can find her art throughout the area. She has done many murals in Highland, including one on Dunhill Tuxedos on Indianapolis Boulevard, The Counter Ice Cream & Italian Ice on Highway Avenue, some smaller murals in Highland High School, and more throughout Highland.