Cleo’s Bodega Is More Than a Grocery Store, It’s a Community

Cleo’s Bodega staff, front row: Taniya Smith, Dee Mann and Tiffany Smith; back row: Christian Glascoe and Gabriel Ford; Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

On any given day, different nonprofit groups hold their staff meetings at Cleo’s Bodega Grocery & Cafe, and kids drop by for afternoon snacks after school. Sometimes artists give live painting demonstrations, and musicians perform for store patrons.

“It is absolutely a gathering spot,” says Candace Boyd Simmons, director of food justice at Flanner House of Indianapolis, a 125-year-old nonprofit promoting self-sufficiency for underserved residents in the city’s northwest corner. “Community happens at Cleo’s. That’s the whole reason why we’re there.”

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Cleo’s Bodega welcomes new and regular customers to enjoy the sense of community. Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

A Food Oasis

The closing of two midsized grocery stores in the mid-2000s served as a wake-up call for organizers of the Food Justice Program, a food-centered economic development initiative that addresses the scarcity of fresh produce in low-income neighborhoods.

“That was really kind of a prompt to say, ‘We’ve got to do something. Otherwise, people are traveling, at a bare minimum, a mile on foot to get to a grocery store,’” Simmons says. “Who wants to do that in a city that doesn’t have good sidewalks? And there’s constant traffic.”

Brandon Cosby, Flanner House executive director and CEO, adds “We don’t like to use the term ‘food desert’ because deserts are naturally occurring. What’s happened in our area has been strategic. Something as simple as being able to go to the grocery store – that’s literally the whole model of Flanner House’s Food Justice Program, making sure that people have equity and access to healthy food.”

Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

Named after Cleo Blackburn, who served as executive director of Flanner House for 30 years, Cleo’s Bodega opened on Martin Luther King Jr. Street in 2019, providing not only a grocery store but a cafe for sandwiches, coffee drinks, smoothies and other quick eats. The spot now draws a number of regulars who frequently order their favorites, like the lavender latte made from fresh lavender grown on the Flanner House farm. The nonprofit recently built several greenhouses, too.

Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

Despite the small size of the micro-grocery, some residents buy all their staples here, from laundry detergent to baby formula, as well as fresh produce, eggs and milk. There’s also a social benefit that comes with having a safe, welcoming place to enjoy a meal or chat with friendly neighbors.

While some are regulars, others are still discovering Cleo’s. Either way, everyone is welcome to find their necessities and a sense of community at the bodega.

“Every single time someone comes in and says, ‘Hey, I never knew you were here,’ or ‘My mom just lives right around the corner, and she can stop in and grab her eggs, her fresh greens, the tomatoes she was looking for,’ I think it is something that shows the community that we care about them,” Simmons says.

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Recycling Dollars

Nicole Green, store manager, stocking food. Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

Cleo’s also has become an economic driver for the neighborhood in more ways than one. It supports a number of local Black entrepreneurs, such as the chef who provides small-batch butter and soup, the vendor who makes fresh lemonade every day, and several bakers, including one who specializes in vegan treats.

Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

“It’s just another way that we can extend the hands of the community by supporting each other and recycling those dollars,” Simmons says.

Local youth benefit financially, too. Through the Flanner House F.E.E.D Program – which stands for Farming, Education, Employment and Distribution – young people ages 16 to 24 can learn job readiness skills working on the farm, then transition to the cafe or grocery store.

“Not everyone has a college experience,” Simmons says. “They’re getting real, hands-on training at Cleo’s Bodega. It’s really fun. We’ve got people who started with us when they were 16 and 17, and they’re still with us today – four and five years later. It’s really good to see them come up through the program and work their way up.”

Against the odds, Cleo’s Bodega Grocery & Cafe continues to thrive.

“I’m just thankful that Cleo’s is still around and that we can honor the community by being here to serve them,” Simmons says. “It’s really important that we’re here as an anchor to help support the community.”

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