By Jim Carchidi
January 28, 2026
Winter Park’s latest coffee shop is also one of Central Florida's most beloved icons. After more than 25 years at its former address, Austin’s Coffee is being reborn at 2240 W. Fairbanks Ave. A soft opening schedule began on Jan. 26 and a volunteer effort is under way to add its salvaged decor into the new space.
Community business
Austin’s is famous for its inclusiveness and nightly entertainment. Open-mic nights and live music showcases have fostered local talent while the menu and welcoming atmosphere have brought the community together with some regulars driving in from Seminole and Osceola counties.
In 2024, the City of Winter Park purchased the property that housed Austin’s corner lot at 929 W. Fairbanks Ave. A plan to add dedicated turn lanes from Fairbanks to Denning Drive all but assured the building’s removal, until employees and customers came together to find a solution.
Voices were heard at city commission meetings and petitions to save the business were circulated and signed, but the focus would eventually turn to relocation. The Friends of Austin’s Coffee nonprofit was founded in early 2025 to facilitate fundraising through donations and public events. A new storefront was found and purchased, along with the business, just before the final lease term on the former property ended in October of 2025.
What’s old is new again
Austin's Coffee has officially soft-opened at its new address and a neighboring parking lot has been leased. Photos by Jim Carchidi
Furniture from the original Austin's Coffee building is among the items that have been relocated to the new address.
At three-times the size of the former space, there's plenty of room to fill.
Books, games and art supplies occupy the same shelves in a new corner, highlighted with new and older art pieces.
Signage from the former location is stored in view as permanent display spaces are considered.
Art pieces carefully peeled from their wall space are temporarily stored in glass cases, left behind by a former business.
Austin's collection of bricks, customized by customers, are displayed throughout the new space. Guests can still keep the tradition going; just ask the staff for information.
Austin’s 2,400-square-foot location is about three-times the size of its old building, but feels like home as familiar furnishings, signs and art are slowly being displayed. Customers can view paintings stored in glass cases as plans for permanent displays progress, however many items remain out of the public eye while day-to-day business resumes.
“We’ve got signs, the old Coke machine, art was peeled off walls. We’ve even got some of the walls,” Austin's Coffee co-owner Angela Whitmer told The Orlando Real. “The volunteers have been amazing and we’ll be working for a while to bring it all back.”
Thoughtful Third Spaces
Since the saving of its namesake, Friends of Austin’s Coffee is endeavoring to promote similar venues, dubbed Thoughtful Third Spaces. The model offers an alternative to bars and nightclubs while providing safe spaces for artists and performers to master their craft in front of an audience. The Friends of Austin’s Coffee website includes an open letter to the City of Winter Park by Orlando Poet Laureate (2021-2025) Shawn Welcome, which lauds the importance of Thoughtful Third Spaces.
“These places are a refuge for at-risk groups," reads an excerpt from the letter. "On these stages, we have heard artists of every age, race, religion, ethnicity, and gender. It is a melting pot of experiences, shared nightly.”
What’s next
Soft opening business hours are from 7 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. and may run later by mid-February. Parking may seem limited, but an empty neighboring lot has been leased to meet the need.
A grand re-opening event and live music showcase is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 30, starting at 4 p.m. Customers are encouraged to check the Auston’s Coffee Facebook page, which is updated daily.
Sponsor: The Orlando Real is sponsored by the Pozek Group — the #1 real estate team in Orlando and the Official Real Estate Team of the Orlando Magic.
About the Author
Jim Carchidi is an Orlando journalist and photographer with previous work at the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Business Journal. He covers development, arts, culture, and local stories for The Orlando Real.
Posted by The Orlando Real on
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