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Tag: John Rivers

  • Mecatos Bakery and Cafe opening in The Coop space in Winter Park

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    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.

    Credit: Mecatos Bakery & Cafe

    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.

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    Faiyaz Kara
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  • 4Roots Opens Education Center on Farm Campus

    4Roots Opens Education Center on Farm Campus

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    The much-anticipated 4Roots Farm Campus opened the doors to its Education Center in Orlando to Valencia College students studying Plant Science and Agricultural Technology.

    The Education Center, the centerpiece of the first phase of the Farm Campus which includes a greenhouse and a walkable edible food forest, will serve as the “living classroom” for the Valencia students enrolled in Intro to Sustainable Agriculture.

    “From the very beginning, our vision for the Farm Campus focused on education,” explained John Rivers, President & CEO, 4Roots. “We want to teach people about the importance of healthy food, farmers about growing technologies that can enhance their crops, and students about the many careers that revolve around the agriculture industry,” he continued. “These students will be surrounded by some of the most advanced technologies in the world. I hope it inspires them to pursue a career in this exciting industry.”

    The students studying Sustainable Agriculture will be collecting data on parameters relating to soil health, followed by growing various crops throughout the semester.

    “The partnership between Valencia and 4Roots is providing cutting-edge opportunities for students to learn through working in a hands-on professional environment at one of the most high-tech and modern sustainable community farming facilities in the country,” said Dr. Lisa Macon, Launch Director, School of Engineering, Technology & Advanced Manufacturing, Valencia College. “Being able to take classes in a Learning Building Challenge building on site, such as the Education Center is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students to experience a truly sustainable learning environment. Not only are students benefiting from the experience, but Valencia is also able to attract more students to these unique learning experiences that are in high demand by today’s socially conscious higher-ed learners,” she concluded.

    The 4Roots Education Building is the first building constructed in the state of Florida that meets the “Living Building Challenge” criteria, constructed to put more energy back into natural resources than it takes out. The building is energy and water net positive and will generate a minimum of 5% energy to be filtered through the Farm Campus or distributed through the OUC microgrid. The Education Building is also a great example to the students of how sustainability is not just how crops are grown, but something else to be considered along with various other aspects of any project.

    “This state of the art facility, including the greenhouse, classroom and permaculture area will enhance Valencia students’ experience by providing an array of diverse agricultural models on a larger scale than previously available,” said Dr. Javier A. Garcés, Professor & Program Chair, Plant Science & Agricultural Technology Program at Valencia College.

    The 4Roots Farm Campus, located in The Packing District, is in the heart of Orlando’s emerging neighborhood.

    It invites the community to gather and collaborate on the creation of a robust local food system. With a diverse range of growing systems, it offers a unique hands-on learning experience that highlights innovative and sustainable practices and technologies from around the world.

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