Following Christmas Eve fire, College Park Cafe readies to reopen with new kitchen and a new name!

The popular College Park Cafe is currently closed due to a fire, but the great news is that the cafe is getting ready to reopen, including a name change.

Empty diner with teal chairs, counter, and bread on shelves. Blue wall with "FUN FACTS" on a TV screen. Bright, clean atmosphere. Following Christmas Eve fire, College Park Cafe readies to reopen with new kitchen and a new name

Orlando's oldest dinner, College Park Cafe, serving classic American comfort food to diners for over 50 years at 2304 Edgewater Drive, suffered a kitchen fire on Christmas Eve morning.

Thanks to the quick response of Orlando Fire Department, the fire was contained to the kitchen, but due to significant damage within the kitchen, the cafe which has been owned by Joey and Ian in 2019, was forced to close over the holidays while the kitchen was rebuilt.

During the closure, A GoFundMe campaign was launched by Tiffany, a College Park Cafe employee to help fellow employees pay the bills while the cafe remained closed, plus, employees were out front selling coffee, with all proceeds benefitting the employees.

The great news is that quick progress has been made on the fire damage with new kitchen equipment installed, and a brand-new kitchen floor (replacing the 30+ year-old one) laid.

A few things remain to be done this week before reopening, including a kitchen rewire, new gas line and equipment, and a final clean up, but the hope is that the cafe will soft open on Friday, January 10 from 8 am - 2 pm, with a Grand Reopening on Saturday, January 11, with complimentary mimosas and cupcakes.

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To start the year, the cafe will be running a simplified menu through January as they work on replenishing their drained bank accounts.

And BIG news! College Park Cafe will be returning to its roots as College Park Diner!

For more details: https://www.facebook.com/collegeparkcafe.

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College Park Cafe with a red awning and glass windows, showing reflections of parked cars. A white car is in front on a brick street. Following Christmas Eve fire, College Park Cafe readies to reopen with new kitchen and a new name

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