Why Austin's Matters.

Austin’s Coffee was not just a local coffee shop in Orlando it was a cultural landmark and a vital third space for the artistic community. Located on Fairbanks , Austin’s Coffee provided a place where people could gather outside of home and work. For years, the shop functioned as a hub for students, artists, musicians, activists, and local residents who needed a space to connect, create, and feel a sense of belonging. Unlike many modern coffee chains, Austin’s prioritized community over consumerism, allowing people to stay for long periods of time without pressure to buy more or leave.

One of the most important parts of Austin’s was its role in supporting local art and self-expression. The space regularly hosted open mic nights, poetry readings, small concerts, and community events that gave emerging artists a platform they often could not find elsewhere. Many local musicians and writers credit Austin’s as the place where they first shared their work publicly. Austins reflected that it was not meant to impress, but to welcome. This made it especially meaningful for young people, creatives, and those who felt out of place in more commercial or exclusive environments.

Austin’s Coffee was ultimately torn down as part of a redevelopment project tied to the growing demand for new housing and commercial space in the area. The decision reflected larger patterns of gentrification occurring throughout Orlando, where rising property values and redevelopment projects increasingly displace long-standing local institutions. While redevelopment is often justified as economic progress, the removal of Austin’s Coffee revealed how these projects frequently ignore the social and cultural value of community spaces. The café was replaced by development focused on profit, not on preserving the social networks and relationships that had been built there over decades.

Ultimately, the demolition of Austin’s Coffee represents more than the loss of a physical building. It symbolizes the erosion of community-centered spaces in the face of urban development and economic priorities. Austin’s mattered because it homes creativity, social connection, and local identity elements that cannot be easily recreated once lost. Its absence serves as a reminder that cities are not just collections of buildings, but networks of relationships, and that protecting third spaces is essential to preserving the cultural and social fabric of a community.

Now on January 26th, 2026 Austins welcomes back its new home, its bigger and better location. With the help from #saveaustins and the local scene they were able to come back and even stay open 24/7 for the community. So a special thanks to the ones who fought so we kept a historic and genuine third space in Winter Park. Austin's matters to us for a safe third space where we can continue to be creative and meet creatives like us. Join Austin's January 30th for its grand opening fest, live music, third space, coffee, and most importantly community.

Dont forget to tip your baristas and save your local third space.