Bill Costigan

In 1987, with a hunch that a technology revolution was on the horizon, Bill Costigan founded Poindexter's, an audio-visual design firm named after the optimistic, inventive cartoon character from the Felix the Cat comics. The company grew slowly, moving from his parents' garage to a modest retail location on Santa Monica Boulevard. Poindexter’s techie name became a natural filter, drawing in curious and creative clients, architects, and designers who wanted something different. Music had always run deep in Bill's life — he was a drummer who formed a band, played countless gigs, and recorded original songs.

Roots in Design and Craft

Bill's early education left a lasting mark: he attended what was then University Elementary School (now UCLA Lab School), a campus designed by Richard Neutra and Robert Alexander and often cited as a defining example of Neutra's "biorealism" philosophy, which emphasizes deep connections between architecture, nature, and human well-being. He went on to study environmental design at Art Center College of Design, drafting, welding, and machine shop at Santa Monica College, and photography at UCLA, before graduating from Musicians Institute in 1987.

A Detour to Montana

Around that same time, a visit to a friend at Montana State University in Bozeman opened Bill's eyes to extreme winters, towering mountains, and deep powder skiing. The following summer, he purchased five acres of wooded land and began building a log cabin as a wilderness retreat.

Leaving Los Angeles Behind

Back in Southern California, business stayed brisk — arguably too brisk. Traffic worsened as Santa Monica transformed into an entertainment and tech hub, with Yahoo, MTV, and MGM all moving in. In the summer of 2000, Bill handed the client list to his coworkers and moved to his cabin with his dog for a life reboot.

Looking Ahead

Today, Bill is focused on leveraging his decades of experience and industry connections to help people facing challenges and ailments that music, sound, video and lighting technology can meaningfully address. He is working one a new venture called “Immrsav” that will open it’s first location in the Brooklyn Navy Yard in early 2027.