A cafe known for its bike nights and vintage markets has permanently closed the doors on its downtown Orlando location.
Ace Cafe announced the closure of its bar at 100 W Livingston Street in downtown Orlando on Sunday, May 28.
“After six unforgettable years, the difficult decision has been made to permanently close our doors,” reads a statement from the company.
Over the years, the business established regular events that were well-received by the community, including its bi-monthly vintage market, and Thursday Bike Nights.
“Our Bike Night every Thursday was nothing less than legendary. The backyard space and views of the city skyline transformed into the perfect backdrop for concerts, events, markets, and festivals,” said the company.
Billed as the world’s most famous motor cafe, Ace Cafe was established in London in 1938 and grew to occupy multiple continents across the globe. The Orlando establishment was the company’s sole location in North America.
Ace Cafe joins a long list of businesses that have closed up shop on their downtown Orlando locations in recent months.
In April, after over ten years in operation, both Harry Buffalo and Le Gourmet Break officially closed down their downtown Orlando locations.
In March, Walgreens closed its downtown Orlando location that it opened in 2016.
Last summer, Lizzy McCormack’s closed its bar after 18 years on Orange Avenue, Latitudes closed its doors after more than 23 years on Church Street, and Finnhenry’s, which operated for more than a dozen years on Orange Avenue, was replaced by Parlay.
Similarly, Barbarella closed its doors last February after a 37-year run at its downtown Orlando location.
In addition to the bars, Earth Fare was forced to close its sole grocery store location in Orlando in downtown, just over a year after it reopened from a previous closure.
As the old businesses have been ushered out by rising rent and operation costs, the Central Business District has welcomed a large slate of new businesses over the past year.
That includes Stemma Craft Coffee, Double O’s Coffee, and City Arts Café, which all opened coffee shops in the past eight months. It also includes Tacos My Guey, Taco Kat, and Solita, which all opened new taco restaurants within a few blocks of each other. Birria1983 will soon join that list, with a planned expansion into the former location of Graffiti Junktion on Church Street.
In addition to the restaurants and cafes that have opened, multiple new bars have celebrated openings as well, including Parlay, Bellhop, High Tide, High-T, Fixtion, Game Room and Social Club, Pups Pub and Proper. All of those businesses opened downtown locations in the past year.