Coming this fall is the grand opening of what is sure to be one of Iowa’s largest espresso cafés.

Located on Highway 65/69 right next to Subway, Cup-a Joe Coffee Haus plans to bring Indianola people the best coffee they’ve ever tasted.

Cup-a Joe will offer popular drinks and to go along with that, there will be grilled sandwiches, fresh pastries and desserts.

“We will be serving paninis and all the other stuff that’s not offered by other coffee shops around Indianola,” said owner Jerry Stoner. “There will be specials everyday and we will feature drinks that are not found around Iowa, like the Fidalgo Bay.”

It seems like some people’s dreams have been answered. This will be Indianola’s Panera-style coffee house except this one will be even better.

Stoner says that the coffee house will be for everyone but they are aiming at attending to the needs of the students in Indianola. While enjoying coffee, patrons may absorb the change of scenery by reading or doing homework in this house’s library that features a built-in fireplace.

And for those who prefer to relieve stress by listening to music, live music will be featured as well.

“We sort of want to create a laid back atmosphere. We’ll have a piano available for patrons to use, we’ll also have a recording studio for those who want to do live recordings of their performances,” said Stoner.

If visiting Cup-a Joe for the pure enjoyment of a divine coffee, there’s no need to round up a roommate to go along. A 21st century replacement of a friend, the Internet, will be available for customers to access while sipping on coffee.

And, if all this is not enough, then a billiard and a TV room will be available as well. They are also looking at providing an atmosphere for students that is entirely different from the bar atmosphere.

Due to the fact that the only places around town that open late are bars and pubs, Cup-a Joe will be a smoke-free venue that will remain open until late evening. “We will be open Monday-Thursday from 6:30 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. and then we will be open until 11:00 p.m. on weekends,” said Stoner.

Among all these features, a private conference room will be set aside for those who like to conduct meetings or discussions over coffee. According to Stoner, this room can be used by students to do group studies, it can be used by faculty members for meetings and it can also be rented out for parties because the main table can be converted into a pool table. The other tables around the place can be used for board games as well.

Being the first of it’s kind in Iowa, Cup-a Joe will definitely be the new hang-out spot around town.

“We want to make it a destination for everybody,” said Stoner. “We want to keep students from going to Des Moines for entertainment and we want people from Des Moines to come here and explore this place.”

Not only will Cup-a Joe provide entertainment in Indianola but also bring another employment opportunity into the area. Cup-a Joe is in the process of hiring staff. Construction for the place is in the final stages and the owners are hoping that they’ll be opening by late November and the actual grand opening ceremony will take place in mid-December.

Late night entertainment is certainly becoming more available both on and off campus.