College Park Cafe hoping to reopen at end of month following devastating fire

College Park Cafe owners working to reopen after fire

College Park Cafe, a local hot spot in Orlando, is planning to reopen later this month following a devastating fire on Christmas Eve.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - A local hot spot in Orlando is still recovering following a devastating fire last month.

The fire broke out on Christmas Eve at College Park Cafe, a mainstay in Orlando for more than 70 years.

"I was really sorry to see they had an incident here," said local resident Sam Houston.

Although dealing with the devastation of the fire has been tough, the owners of the cafe are hopeful they will be able to open their doors again later this month.

"Well, the first thing she said was, ‘Sit down, take a breath,' and I said ‘OK, what's going on,' said Alan Saunders, co-owner of College Park Cafe. "I knew it could be worst of the worst, and she said ‘We have a fire.'"

A fresh start

The beloved cafe is now brewing up a fresh start and preparing to reopen its doors.

"Well, we've been doing a lot of work coming in here every other day, cleaning up and trying to get the store back as quickly as possible, so we can get back to work," said cafe employee Lakisha Jackson.

Jackson was working in the kitchen when the fire broke out. At that moment, she said she feared what the future would hold.

"I was pretty hurt about it," she said. "Just my mind went gone that it happened. I didn't know what I was gonna do being that it was Christmas Eve, and all your bills are coming up in the next week. So, yeah. Kind of hard, but we're working through it."

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But with a little elbow grease and support from the community, this coffee shop will be opening back up a week from today with a whole new look.

"Being open every morning with bacon grease flying everywhere in that kitchen, you can't get a lot done," Saunders said. "So, this was a blessing in disguise (that) we shut down. New floors, new walls, new electric, new plumbing and new appliances. So, we’re excited."

The cafe will continue to be a place where community members can call home.

"I’ve been going down the list trying to try all these places, and, like I said, I hadn't been to the cafe yet, but every time I walk by, I just see a fixture of the neighborhood," Houston said. "(It's) really charming, even down to the details like the giant reef in the back. (It) just adds to the fabric of the neighborhood."

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