Highland Is Hiring + When a Schoop Burger Cost 15 Cents + Biddy Basketball Filling Fast

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See the updated Highland Halloween Guide 2026 for haunted homes, trunk-or-treats, family activities and more!

Long before Schoop’s became a Highland staple, a burger there cost just 15 cents.

It all began in 1948, when Allen Schoop opened his first restaurant on Calumet Avenue in Hammond. He served fresh, hand-formed burgers cooked with the crispy-edge style that would become the brand’s signature.

That first month, Schoop’s recorded $2,055 in sales, one 15-cent burger at a time.

The business kept growing, and in 1984, Mark Schoop joined Rick and Randy Newell to begin franchising Schoop’s restaurants.

More than 75 years later, Highland residents can still stop in on 45th Street for a burger with roots that run deep in the Region.

What is your first memory of eating at Schoops? Hit reply I’d love to read your story!

Hydrant Pet Center is teaming up with Dogs 4 U for a Halloween Adoption Party on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to noon at 8630 Kennedy Ave. in Highland.

Visitors can meet adoptable dogs looking for homes while enjoying free photos, a free raffle and free snacks. Costumes are encouraged for all ages, and well-behaved dogs are welcome too.

Dogs 4 U is a 501(c)(3) foster-based dog rescue serving Northwest Indiana and the south Chicago suburbs. The group also welcomes new foster families for dogs waiting for adoption.

Even if you’re not ready to adopt, organizers say residents are welcome to stop by, meet the dogs and join in the Halloween fun.

If you’re looking for work or know someone who is, there are quite a few employers hiring in and around Highland right now. Openings range from restaurant and retail jobs to healthcare, schools, skilled trades and town positions.

Here’s a look at some of the opportunities we found:

💜 Care in Motion
Hiring caregivers throughout Northwest Indiana for day, evening and overnight shifts, with full-time and part-time opportunities available. Flexible schedules, ongoing training and a weekend incentive are advertised.
📍 8131 Kennedy Ave., Highland
📞 219-487-2090

👗 SmartThreads
Hiring a full-time Fulfillment & Studio Coordinator for its Highland operation. The job is Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., at $17/hour, helping with packing orders, inventory, freight and keeping the studio organized.
📍 9400 Indianapolis Blvd.
📧 [email protected]

🥟 Dan’s Pierogies
Hiring cashiers and kitchen staff, with the positions promoted as a good fit for students looking for after-school work as well as retirees looking to stay active.
📍 2945 Jewett Ave.
➡️ Apply in person.

🍳 Chiro’s Family Restaurant
Hiring cooks and waitresses.
📍 2040 45th St.
📞 219-595-0435 or apply at the restaurant.

🎨 The Better Painter
Hiring a Helper / Trade Assistant starting at $15/hour. No experience is required, but applicants need reliable transportation and a willingness to learn.
📞 Call or text 219-237-0103.

🍕 Amici Grill & Pizzeria
Looking for full-time kitchen help at the Highland location.
➡️ Apply at amicigrill.com.

☕ Sip Coffee House 2
Hiring baristas, servers, floaters and cooks. Open interviews are scheduled for Oct. 23 from 4-6 p.m. at the Highland location.

☕ BIGGBY COFFEE
Hiring energetic, friendly team members for its growing crew. Experience is a plus, but the company says a good attitude matters more and coffee skills can be taught.
➡️ Apply through BIGGBY’s store opportunities page: biggby.com/store-opportunities

💊 Vyto’s Pharmacy
Hiring a Customer Service Specialist or Pharmacy Technician, with starting pay advertised at up to $17/hour. Vyto’s says it will train the right person and can help with pharmacy technician licensing.
📍 8845 Kennedy Ave.
📧 [email protected]

🚗 RightWay
Hiring a full-time lot attendant / porter at $15-$16/hour, depending on experience. Duties include detailing vehicles, lot maintenance, landscaping, snow removal and moving inventory.
📍 9110 Indianapolis Blvd.
➡️ Apply in person.

🏫 School Town of Highland
Hiring substitute teachers at $120 per day and substitute nurses. Nurse pay is listed at $18.46/hour for RN/LPN/MA and $13.73/hour for non-RN/CA.
➡️ Applications are available through School Town of Highland’s employment page.

📚 Northwest Indiana Special Education Cooperative
Hiring teachers, substitutes, and paraprofessionals for member districts, including School Town of Highland. Positions advertise benefits, competitive salaries and professional development.
➡️ Apply at NISEC.org.

🍽️ Dining Solutions at Wicker Park
Hiring banquet servers, managers, bartenders and dishwashers for weddings, corporate functions and other events.
📞 219-923-3830

🔥 Highland Fire Department
Hiring paid-on-call firefighters. Applications are available at 2901 Highway Ave.
📞 219-923-9876

🍂 Town of Highland Public Works
Hiring temporary fall help at $13/hour, Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
📍 Apply in person at 8001 Kennedy Ave. or email [email protected].

⛪ Faith Church Highland
Hiring a Student Ministry Director for the Highland location.
➡️ Applications are available through Faith Church’s jobs page.

🔨 Eenigenburg Exteriors
Hiring experienced exterior remodeling installers and repair technicians for Northwest Indiana and the south suburbs. Pay is advertised at $50,000-$70,000 annually, plus benefits and a potential $1,500 sign-on bonus after successfully completing the first 60 days.
📞 219-365-2837
📧 [email protected]

Know of another Highland business that’s hiring? Reply and send it our way. We may add it to a future jobs roundup.

Go to this week’s Tasty Tuesday issue to put in your picks for best soup, pizza, coffee, breakfast, bar, pub, or brewery, and more of our Best of Food & Drinks categories.

Highland Parks & Recreation’s 2026 Biddy Basketball league is filling up quickly, and one division is already closed.

The K-1 co-ed division is full, and the remaining divisions could close before the Thursday, Oct. 29 registration deadline if they reach capacity first.

As of Oct. 19. 2nd-3rd grade boys were 87% full, 2nd-3rd grade girls 75% full, 4th-5th grade boys 60% full and 4th-5th grade girls 73% full.

Registration must be completed in person at the Lincoln Community Center, 2450 Lincoln St. and cannot be done by phone. The cost is $70 for Highland residents and $77 for non-residents.

Assessments are scheduled for Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. for 2nd-3rd graders and Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. f

or 4th-5th graders. Practices begin the week of Nov. 9, with games running Saturdays from Dec. 5 through Feb. 20.

The league is also looking for volunteer coaches, and coaches’ children are automatically placed on their team.

Source: Highland Parks & Recreation.