About Us
Our Story
If you’ve ever stepped inside Poindexter, you know it’s always been a little different.
We began as a cozy coffee shop in the heart of Bloomington almost a decade ago. A laid-back spot for morning rituals, study sessions, lunch breaks, and easy conversations. That foundation hasn’t changed. Mornings still smell like fresh espresso, and the breakfast burrito has earned its place in the rotation over the years. Afternoons still bring a steady rhythm of meetings, quick bites, and familiar faces.
As the day winds down, Poindexter transforms into the bar where Hoosiers gather. The lights dim, the music turns up, the TVs turn on, and the cocktails start flowing. What begins with cappuccinos transitions into craft pours and espresso martinis. It’s where pre-games start, wins are celebrated, and the next big moment is toasted.
How a small-town legend found a home at Poindexter
If you’ve ever stepped inside Poindexter, you’ve probably noticed the shelves lined with colorful, quirky cookie jars. They’re hard to miss. Our most asked question is why we have them in the first place. Get ready for a little history lesson.
The collection is a nod to Grannie’s Cookie Jars & Ice Cream Parlor in Metamora, a small canal town in southeastern Indiana about two hours from Bloomington. The beloved shop, started by Eva “Grannie” Fuchs, is home to more than 3,000 cookie jars, enough to earn attention from the Guinness World Records team and plenty of local legends. Inside, ice cream is served beside shelves of whimsical jars shaped like everything from cartoon characters to cows.
We’ve brought a little of that magic to Poindexter. Each jar you see here is a tribute to Grannie’s joyful spirit and Indiana’s knack for turning everyday things into something worth talking about.
Our second most asked question? “Did you steal her record?” Not even close, but we’re flattered you asked. Our collection tops out at just over 200 cookie jars, which is about 6 percent of Grannie’s legendary lineup.
So... what exactly is a Poindexter?
Merriam-Webster defines a Poindexter as “a person with intellectual or academic interests or pretensions.” Around here, we wear that as a badge of honor.
Our namesake nods to the campus spirit that fuels Bloomington: the late-night study sessions, the caffeine-fueled brainstorms, and the post-exam celebrations. Poindexter is where coffee and cocktails meet conversation, where notes and napkins share the same table, and where it’s perfectly acceptable to be both studious and social.