After 9 years, popular Murray Hill coffee shop sets closing date
A Murray Hill landmark will serve its last cup of freshly roasted specialty coffee and scratch-made pastries on Dec. 22 after nine years as a neighborhood mainstay.
Vagabond Coffee is shutting down its cafe at 934 Edgewood Ave. S. Owner Will Morgan recently posted the closing date on social media.
In the heart of the Murray Hill business district, the coffee shop is next door to Murray Hill Theatre. It's an easy walk from the landmark original Dreamette as well as El Jefe Tex-Mex restaurant and Chancho King, the first Ecuadoran restaurant in Jacksonville.
Owner Will Morgan previously told the Times-Union the coffee shop's closure will allow him to spend more time with his family as well as pursue new Vagabond-centric endeavors involving its nearby roastery, catering, special events and wholesale business.
Remaining open is the Vagabond Coffee roastery, 927 Edgewood Ave. S., which is across the street from the coffee shop as well as associated businesses VGBD Creative and The Vagabond Flea.
"Although our beloved shop is coming to a close, we will continue to do ALL things VAGABOND. We will have pop-ups and events, catering orders, wholesale coffee, partnerships and other creative endeavors," he posted in November when announcing the pending closure.
Morgan emphasized the roastery will continue its wholesale operations, and that they hope to offer coffee service there once a month.
He's also said they plan to expand The Vagabond Flea to a second location in the city's Urban Core at least once a month.
Morgan and his wife, Samantha, launched Vagabond Coffee in the couple's 1963 Scotty Highlander camper with a straightforward business philosophy: "Community. People. Coffee."
Their first pop-up was in the Laura Street Trio in downtown Jacksonville. Next was James Weldon Johnson Park across from Jacksonville City Hall. Then in August 2015, Vagabond Coffee opened its brick-and-mortar coffee shop and roastery in Murray Hill.
Since the coffeehouse opened, strangers became friends or fell in love, couples celebrated the birth of a child and families shared memories of loved ones who passed away.
Neighborhood residents say Vagabond celebrated Murray Hill. Also an artist, Morgan is credited by many with sparking a "renaissance of our neighborhood."
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Vagabond Coffee also has helped launch other businesses over the years by hosting pop-ups — especially during the COVID-19 pandemic — and via The Vagabond Flea.
Restaurants previously at Vagabond Coffee: Brine, a pop-up crudo bar, Good Dough, a gourmet doughnut and coffee shop, and Chancho King, now a brick-and-mortar just down the street.
Morgan has said if it wasn't for the support of customers, neighbors and the overall close-knit Murray Hill community, Vagabond Coffee wouldn't be ready to evolve.
Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at tstepzinski@jacksonville.com.
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville's Vagabond Coffee cafe announces closing date
