Hidden Gems

Bloomington's eclectic community is home to fine dining from all corners of the world, a variety of musical and theatrical entertainment, quirky boutiques and a distinct artistic culture. Some favorite community spots among the students include Nick's English Hut, Malibu Grill and Urban Outfitters. However, what many students don't know is that tucked between busy streets and residential houses lie some of Bloomington's hidden jewels -- a collection of unknown restaurants, retail stores and movie theaters steeped in history, just waiting to be found. Many of these landmarks have been around for years and provide an outlet for all walks of life in Bloomington to express themselves in various ways. With their original services and products, they capture the essence of the city. \nThe Runcible Spoon, located on 412 E. Sixth St. behind Kirkwood Avenue and near Dunn Street has been around for 30 years. Walking into the Spoon, an old residential house-turned-restaurant, gives the customer a semblance of stopping by a relative's house for a home-cooked meal. Decorative carpets line the floors while book shelves and artsy lamps garnish the walls. Customers are even encouraged to read books from the shelves. \nMatt O'Neill took over the restaurant in December of 2001 after being a customer for 12 years. At the transfer of ownership, the Spoon's business was dwindling and their menu only consisted of specialty coffee and breakfast. O'Neill, who is also the head chef, used his background as a three-star gourmet chef to expand the menu to include lunch and dinner. \nAlthough O'Neill believes the menu expansion has helped business, breakfast is still the Spoon's specialty. On weekend mornings, there is rarely an empty seat in the house. The bacon is served apple-smoked and the sausage, hollandaise sauce, pancake mix and bagels are all locally made. Gourmet quality food for cheap isn't the only luxury afforded to those who eat at the Spoon. When O'Neill inherited the joint, it had been known for its eclectic clientele, even being nicknamed "the bohemian embassy."\n"The Spoon has a soul," said O'Neill, "so that anyone who had to buy it had to nurture its spirit because it was so rooted in the community here."\nThe spirit of the Spoon is fostered by allowing members from the community to use the restaurant as an outlet for artistic expression and growth. Photographers can post their work on the walls and artists have filled empty walls with assorted collages, paintings and drawings. \nO'Neill encourages artists to use his restaurant as means for improving their crafts. Irish music plays on Tuesday nights, a poetry slam is held on the last Friday of every month and various ethnic music shows and open mic nights are hosted by the restaurant throughout the year. \nSince O'Neill's presence at the Spoon, business has tripled and the clientele have evolved to include a more proportionate mix of community members and students than in the past. O'Neill attributes this development to the Spoon's laidback atmosphere. \n"People can go there from the socially and politically opposite spectrum and feel comfortable," said O'Neill. "You can read a book or play chess and nobody is going to bother you -- even if you don't order anything." \nSenior Sally Cuttitta heard about the Spoon through a friend and enjoys the unique and cozy nature of the restaurant. "It's not like your typical Bob Evans." said Cuttitta. "It's one of a kind, there is not another like it. You feel like you're a part of a secret that nobody else knows about when you are there."\nAnother underground Bloomington favorite is the Cactus Flower, located on the corner of Kirkwood Avenue and Grant Street next to the Laughing Planet. This clothing and accessory store sells new and vintage products. Like the Spoon, the Cactus Flower has been around for 30 years, although it didn't start out as a clothing store. Owner Jill Schaffer said she started off selling cacti and other plants, hence the store's name. Over the years, the store evolved into what it is today -- a fusion of the new and old, a savvy dresser's dream. \nUp until March of 2002, the Cactus Flower only used the upstairs part of the property. Once it expanded to the downstairs property, Schaffer said business began to pick up. Along with selling some of the newest trends including some name-brand products, Schaffer allows aspiring designers in the community to make clothes and accessories to sell in the store. She grants designers this privilege because others gave her the same chance to gain valuable experience. \n"I started out that way too. It also gives a chance for students to buy something that is made in the community," Schaffer said.\nEnter upstairs at the Flower to find a world of vintage hats, purses, estate jewelry, skirts, dresses, blazers and much more including men's vintage clothing. Some of the vintage clothing dates all the way back circa late 1800s. Senior Kirby O'Connell, who said she discovered the Flower last summer, visits the store at least three times a month. She likes the vintage part the most because it gives her a change to spice up her wardrobe. "Its one of a kind stuff," said O'Connell, "and I like to get things that nobody else has." O'Connell has purchased from the Flower a variety of items ranging from trinkets for her apartment to red pumps from the 1950s. \nSome of Bloomington's hidden novelties aren't fully known to the community because they have just emerged on the scene, and are waiting to be discovered. \nYats, sandwiched between Third and Fourth Streets on Grant Street, is the place to go for a taste bud wake-up call. Its motto is "Cajun. Creole. Crazy," and offers an extensive variety of Louisiana comfort food. \nAlthough the Bloomington location opened up last April in Bloomington, Yats' reputation preceded it as a highly acclaimed restaurant. Owner Joe Vuskovich and his wife already had two established restaurants in Indianapolis prior to the Bloomington opening. Indianapolis Monthly ranked the chain as one of Indy's top 50 restaurants. One of Vuskovich's recipes ended up in Indy's Dine Magazine and the story of how Vuskovich and his wife started the chain landed them on the cover of Nuvo magazine, another Indy publication. \nYats manager Mike Isenhour said there are approximately 25 different recipes in the restaurant archives, with six to 10 alternating dishes being featured each day. Some of the dishes include chili cheese etouffée with crawfish, jambalaya and for vegetarians, spinach and mushroom etouffee. These dishes cost five bucks in exchange for one pound portions. Because of the intensity of the food, Isenhour said customers can sample different dishes to find the fit that pleases their palettes. \nJunior Molly Todoran eats at Yats regularly and said her favorite dish is the chili cheese etouffee. "I like (Yats) because it is really inexpensive and you get a lot of good food." said Todoran. "The service is fast too." \nYats on Grant has a lively atmosphere with vintage posters and postcard images varnished onto the tables and a different metallic color vibrating from each wall. In the spirit of Mardi Gras, purple, green and gold umbrellas hang from the ceiling and the signature parade beads are draped from the light fixtures. \nOn the corner of Fourth and Walnut Streets across from the John Waldron Arts Center is The Cinemat, the only video store in the state of Indiana with a screening room and a liquor permit to sell bottled beers, according to owner and manager Steve Volan. The Cinemat has been around since 2002 when it first started off as a coffee-house. Eventually Volan decided that it would get better business as a video store and has evolved into a venue with a wealth of diverse video selections. \n"We are not your typical mega top 40 hit video store," said Volan. "We have more of a library-style video selection and we try to have the broadest collection. There are a lot of films here you wouldn't find at Blockbuster."\nSome of the Cinemat's collections include indie films, foreign films, music videos, animated films and documentary productions. Their screening room charges $4 for night-time movies and $3 for matinees. Members get discounted prices. Volan said the screening room shows a Stanley Kubric film once every month and this past month has played films such as Jet Li's "Hero," "The Corporation," "Barry Lyndon" and "Like Water for Chocolate." They also show Ryder films every Thursday.\n"We try to show films that we think are interesting and compelling," said Volan. Upcoming shows at the Cinemat include "Ray" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." \nThe Cinemat's screening room has a concession stand featuring an extensive list of imports and domestics; including some of Bloomington's locally brewed Upland beer. Volan said that although the liquor permit has been helpful to their business, it's not the only contributing factor to the increase in traffic at the store/theater. They also sell hot-dogs, veggie-dogs, popcorn, candy and soft drinks. \nAnother Bloomington hidden novelty is Boxcar Books and Community Center, a nonprofit, volunteer-driven store that provides a plethora of literature and a space for literary groups and community members to gather. For an alternative place to shop around for next semester's textbooks, take a look at boxcarbooks.org for further information.\nThe elite of what Bloomington has to offer is not always found on the beaten path and these innovative landmarks are sure not to disappoint. They provide an outlet for the community to thrive and prosper while at the same time bestowing an imaginative experience upon all who venture into their cultural havens.