New location, same vibe. Classic Ocala coffee shop keeps on running

Co-owners Mike Mills and Kyle Dixon have brewed up a unique mix of coffee, food and upbeat atmosphere at Symmetry Coffee Company in downtown Ocala. And now the shop has a new location

“We’re filling cups and pouring into people. We are providing an escape, a comfort zone,” said Mills, an Ocala native and Navy veteran.

Mills’ military job was working in the nuclear power plant of the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln.

Mills said the coffee shop serves as sort of an oasis for customers, and he wants customers to “leave happier than when they arrived.”

The coffee shop opened about six years ago on the ground floor of the old Marion Hotel on North Magnolia Avenue. The operation was purchased by Mills and Dixon in 2020. In October they moved to 101 E. Silver Springs Blvd., the former home of Katya Vineyards, which is moving to a bigger space across the street.

The coffee shop offers drip, cappuccino, cortado, expresso, cold brew, latte and chai cold or hot, with over a dozen varieties of syrups including vanilla bean and pumpkin butternut spice. Several varieties of milk are on hand.Breakfast sandwiches with eggs and choices of meats and crepes are available.

The new location has a walk-up coffee bar and separate meeting and dining room with tables and couches. Josh Dicapua serves as coffee shop manager.

Dixon said Mills deals with suppliers in countries including Colombia and Honduras and monitors details about the production of the beans, seeking premium, award winning brews.

Symmetry’s roaster David Fowler said Ethiopian coffee is popular.

The coffee shop offers private label coffee like Suite 102, a Brazilian and Ethiopian coffee with cocoa, peanut and cherry.

A seasonal coffee available is Las Lajas from Costa Rica with cranberry, clove and wine.

The vibe at Symmetry

The setting at Symmetry is ideal for meetings or to dash in for a quick cup of coffee at the bar, according to several guests on a recent morning.

Derrick Miranda, nursing recruiter with HCA Hospital, has been dropping by the coffee shop once a week for about a year for a morning coffee.

Baristas Skyler Crews and Ashley Dease were on duty recently when Miranda ordered a drip coffee.

“Good environment and the coffee is good. (The location) is convenient,” he said.

Former Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn stopped by, as did a number of others who first stopped at the coffee bar.

Sara Girton and Nate Beall also stopped at the coffee bar. Girton said iced coffee is her favorite.

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Symmetry’s location is directly north across Silver Springs Boulevard from the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Ocala, and guests from the inn regularly visit, according to a coffee shop employee.

Marie Bowles, a first time visitor to Symmetry, found the ambiance in the dining area “very homey” and guest Savannah O’Donnell said coffee shop is “wonderful.”

Summer Smith and Evangeline Ryan decided to try the coffee shop’s food offerings. Smith had the Veggie Bowl with fried egg, spinach, avocado, tomato, roasted potatoes and more, and Ryan had The Nutella, a crepe with bananas, strawberries, Nutella, whipped crème and powdered sugar.

“Love it,” Ryan said

Mikenzee Marshall was busy working on her laptop at a corner table in the dining area while enjoying a Dirty Chai Latte. She said Symmetry has a “good environment” for work.

A group from Good News Church in Ocala was meeting in the dining area while Allstate Insurance agent Tim Bascom met with his client Tib Gunsallus. Bascom said he likes to support local business.

Meaghan Magamoll, executive director of the nonprofit Public Education Foundation of Marion County, held a six-person staff and volunteer meeting at Symmetry recently in the dining area.

Magamoll finds the coffee shop “a great place to meet.”

Meetings of the Common Sense Coffee Club, a group of mostly retired local businessmen and political officials and their guests who discuss a wide range of topics and host guest speakers while sharing some good natured banter, are held regularly at Symmetry.

Gerald Ergle, Les Sharpe, Parnell Townley, Mike Finn, Tom Fisher and Pastor Bernard Tuggerson of Immerse Church were among the group who chatted with a recent guest speaker, School Board member Allison Campbell.

Diane Goldman of Ocala and her friends Brenda, Cindy and Kay also meet at Symmetry as the Wednesday Breakfast Club.

“(Symmetry) is beautiful. I love it,” she said. Goldman said the location reminds her of a “little (coffee shop ) in New York.”

Symmetry Coffee Co., 101 E. Silver Springs Blvd. #102, Ocala; (352) 657-1177; Open: Mon. To Sat. 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; symmetrycoffeeco.com

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Coffee shop changes places in downtown Ocala but keeps on brewing