It’s been nearly two and a half years since The Coop — barbecue king John Rivers’ bright, rustic shrine to Southern dining — closed its doors after a decade of serving fried chicken and Southern plates of the highest order in Winter Park.
At the time, Rivers cited “current market rates” as a reason to not renew the lease and, since The Coop’s closure in July 2023, the building has sat vacant.
But it won’t be for much longer.
Mecatos Bakery & Cafe, the homegrown chain offering Colombian baked good, hot bites, desserts, fruit smoothies and, of course, coffee, is set to open in the prominent space on the southwest corner of Morse Boulevard and Pennsylvania Avenue some time in 2026.
Mecatos was established in 2015 by Edwin Lurduy and currently operates nine locations all across the city. Their signature offerings are empanadas, buñuelos (fried dough pastries with sweet or savory fillings) and pan de bono (Colombian cheese bread). The coffee at Mecatos is imported from Colombia and roasted locally at their distribution center.
It’ll be interesting to see if the building’s red-barn facade will be retained, as it’s practically reached iconic landmark status in Winter Park.
In any case, Rivers still holds the place close to his heart.
“Closing The Coop still makes me sad, but I am happy to see the space being reactivated. I wish Mecatos the best of luck there. It is a very special place.”
Be sure to follow @mecatos for all the latest updates on their Winter Park opening.
