About Us

Our Mission

Tiny's Coffee Bar is a restaurant and full-service bar. Our mission is to be your favorite destination to relax and kick back in the Indiana Dunes.

We know you work hard and play hard. At Tinys, you can get it all done! Whether you’re here to get caffeinated, run meet-ups, or celebrate with family and friends, you can count on us to welcome you with high quality spirits and good eats.

Tinys Coffee Bar Owner Matt Blackwell and Chef Matt Cervantes

Tinys is family owned and operated, powered by a hardworking team of pros committed to delivering a great customer experience. We’re proud to be a part of Gary’s growing community of entrepreneurs. Our values of honesty, integrity, respect, quality and safety show up in everything we do.

Our Story

Who was Tiny? In 1941, farmer and distiller William Herman Blackwell was run out of Tennessee by a sheriff who wanted control of his moonshine profits. Herman, with his wife Lula and kids, headed north towards Chicago.

Vintage black and white photograph of a man in a suit and hat, taped to a white background.

He found work at the Burlington Northern railroad, and with time, reestablished his moonshine still. The father of nine supported his family with his business and achieved great popularity in the Chicagoland area. His friends playfully called him “Tiny” because of his impressive 6’5” height and 300 lb frame.

As founders of Tiny’s Coffee Bar, we are inspired by the entrepreneurship, grit and legacy of “Tiny” Herman Blackwell. We vowed that if we ever opened an establishment, we would name it after him. Today, we are proud to share an experience rooted in our values and designed for our community in Gary, Indiana.