Pack the Bodega: Cleo’s Bodega Grocery & Café Brings First Friday Energy to the Westside

Nap Shots
Feb 6
2 min read

Every First Friday, the Westside knows where to be.

Pack the Bodega is more than a moment—it’s a movement centered around food, access, and community at Cleo’s Bodega Grocery & Café, located at 2432 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St., Indianapolis, IN 46208.

🕒 First Friday Hours:7:30 AM – 5:30 PM✅ EBT & WIC Accepted

Whether you’re stopping in for breakfast, grabbing lunch, or stocking up on fresh groceries, First Friday at Cleo’s is about showing love to a space that shows love back to the neighborhood.

A Bodega Built With Purpose

Cleo’s Bodega Grocery & Café is a community-focused food justice initiative operated by Flanner House. Designed to directly address food insecurity on Indianapolis’ northwest side, Cleo’s functions as both a full neighborhood grocery store and a welcoming café—all under one roof.

This isn’t just about convenience. It’s about access, health, and ownership of resources in a community that has historically been overlooked.

What You’ll Find Inside

🥪 Café Favorites

Cleo’s café is known for its bold, culture-driven menu—affectionately famous for its “trap sandwiches.”Fan favorites include:

Breakfast Sandwiches
Trap Grilled Cheese
Soups, salads, and baked sweets
The popular Halle Berry Smoothie

🥬 Fresh & Affordable Groceries

The bodega offers fresh produce grown right next door in the community garden, along with food sourced from local partners like Brandywine Creek Farms. Everything is priced with the neighborhood in mind.

💳 SNAP/EBT and WIC are accepted, reinforcing Cleo’s mission of making healthy food accessible to everyone.

More Than a Store—A Community Hub

Cleo’s is intentionally designed as a space where people gather, learn, and grow.

🎶 Live music on Fridays during lunch hours (11:30 AM – 1:30 PM)
🌤️ Outdoor patio seating during warmer months
📶 Free Wi-Fi, restrooms, and wheelchair accessibility
🚗 Ample off-street parking

It’s the kind of place you can meet a friend, get work done, or just exist comfortably.

Investing in the Next Generation

Beyond food, Cleo’s serves as a training site for young adults ages 16–24 through the Flanner House F.E.E.D. Program, offering real-world experience in job readiness, customer service, and workplace skills.

That means every purchase supports:

Youth workforce development
Local agriculture
Community reinvestment

This is what sustainable impact looks like.

Plan Your Visit

📍 2432 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St., Indianapolis, IN 46208📞 (317) 932-3100🌐 flannerhouse.org/cleos-bodega-grocery-cafe/

Regular Hours

Bodega (Grocery):

Mon–Fri: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sat: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sun: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Café:

Mon–Thu: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Fri: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sat: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Sun: Closed

Why It Matters

When you support Cleo’s Bodega, you’re not just buying food—you’re backing a model that proves community-first businesses work.

This First Friday, Pack the Bodega.Support local. Support access. Support the Westside.

Thank you for reading.If you have a positive story to share, an organization to highlight, or simply love uplifting news that brings our community together, we’d love to hear from you.

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