Runcible Spoon

OVERVIEW

• The Runcible Spoon was started in 1976 by college student Jeff Danielson

• Their role in the community is to make others feel welcome and safe when in the restaurant.

• The Runcible Spoon helped make money to help with the damage of hurricane Helene. 

HISTORY 

The Runcible Spoon has been here in Bloomington for a long time. It was started by Jeff Danielson in September 1976. A little about Jeff: Jeff Danielson came to Bloomington to get a PHD in classical archaeology. Jeff decided it wasn’t for him and started the Runcible Spoon. But before all this, it was a residential house for families living in Bloomington. When Jeff Danielson started the Runcible Spoon, it was just a coffee shop at first but over time breakfast and lunch got added. 

The current owner Matt O'Neill took over in 2001 and didn't want to change what was already started, so he kept what was there. Matt: Matt was a regular at the Runcible Spoon, Matt is a chef along with his wife Regen O'Neill who also ran a cooking class downtown. But in 2021 the class got shut down. Matt learned to be a chef in Ireland where he was born, so you might notice his strong Irish accent. Matt was also a head instructor at Culinary Arts Academy in Cincinnati. O’Neill was also a head chef and Innkeeper at Walden Inn in Greencastle for 20 years. 

While Runcible Spoon might be an interesting name, there is some history behind it. Edward Lear: Edward Lear published a poem called "The Owl and the Pussycat" where there is a line that mentions a 'runcible spoon'. That is where the name Runcible Spoon came from. 

There are also, for some reason, goldfish in the bathtub at the restaurant. 

ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY

 A big part of their role in the community isn’t just to serve coffee and breakfast, but to also be a safe and inviting place for people to meet and share ideas, music, and art the customers like. They also host live music every Tuesday, and once a month on Mondays. They have also been a house to poetry readings over the years too. 

They have hosted music and language groups from IU and our larger community! One of the language groups is German; the group that meets is called "stammtish", meaning "regulars table" in German. 

The Runcible Spoon has also hosted benefit concerts and gatherings for several social causes, including survivors of Hurricane Helene. and they’ve had collaborations with the Writers Guild at Bloomington to host poetry readings. In addition they help with the Soup Bowl Benefit that happens every year.