The gathering place
Written & photographed by
Evie Sanchez
Adorned with floral rattan couches and hanging houseplants, Spinster Abbott’s asks you to exhale, to take the time to catch up with an old friend, to cozy up with a good book, to jam out with a local band. The eclectic and locally sourced bodega, coffee shop and taproom’s brand extends beyond its aesthetic – the warm intention for community served by staff and owners Liz and Sam Snyder is entirely apparent.
“This is a place for anybody and everybody,” Liz said. In the fashion of any good gathering place, Spinster Abbott’s features comfy chairs, good coffee and great company.
The Snyders have a history of serving their community, and their care for others has seeped into their new business, creating a third space for the community and a hub of happenings. They’ve recently launched their new breakfast menu, including acai bowls, smoothies and a full band of bagel sandwiches served out of a blue-trimmed walk-up window.
But before there were bagels and a bodega, there was a young Liz eating Slush Puppies barefoot in a Jiffy Store. Liz is a Gainesville native who grew up treasuring St. Augustine as a second home. She attended graduate school at the University of Florida, where she met Sam, her husband and business partner. After school, the pair moved to Alaska, where Liz worked as a professor and legislator.
“We both come from working and living in fields that are very community oriented,” Liz explained. “I was in public health practice, so I worked in communities with communities to solve public health problems, and then when I shifted to politics, I was working…to identify issues that we could solve through policy change, and my husband does similar work around environmental advocacy and communication.”
“We have practice organizing, we have practice communicating, we have practice putting on events. And so we just kind of plugged that into the service industry, and here we are,” Liz continued. “We love good food. We love good drinks. We love live music. I like shopping for vintage and cool products from small businesses, and this is what lets me do all those things. And it turns out people like it, which is great.”
photo by Chloee Blair 
In a digitally enamored world, Spinster Abbott's is a landing place for corporeal connections. Board games are stacked and ash trays are at the ready as a disco ball and backyard lights hang above the patio.
“I think people are hungry for real life interactions. I think they're hungry for arts and culture on the hyperlocal scale, and that’s what we like... being able to offer a space for that,” Liz said.
Liz explained the couple were confident in their business plan, but added that “it would flop if you didn't get to land it in a cool community, that also thought it was cool.”
Spinster Abbott's is the wild endeavor the Snyders once dreamed up while living in Alaska, and Liz attributes the emphasis on the Old Florida forward vibe to the time she spent up North.
"When we came back down here, it was just like that had been repressed for 15 years, and this was my chance to fall back into that, [which] I had missed so much.”
Photo by Chloee Blair 
Photo by Chloee Blair
“I think people are hungry for real-life interactions. I think they're hungry for arts and culture on the hyperlocal scale, and that's what we like...being able to offer a space for that.”
— Liz Snyder, co-owner of Spinster Abbott's
Photo by Chloee Blair Between the decor, vintage shops and Hawaiian food served by HotBox out of an old Airstream, this corner of Uptown oozes with nostalgia. In the bodega, you can find morsels of what it was to be young: candy cigarettes, Pop Rocks and Big League Chew.
"We try and cater to and welcome…customers from toddlers to 80 years old, and so we try to have something appealing for everybody,” Liz said. She takes the time to research and stock a variety of candy for each generation.
When it comes to the food menu, Liz emphasized the aim is to avoid overcomplicating and overthinking.
“If you start with a good ingredient, and a little bit of skill, and a little bit of care, you're going to get a good product, right?”
Anyone who’s tried the Juicy Lucy, one of their signature drinks featuring espresso, house-made mint syrup and fresh lime juice, would have to agree. There is intentional sourcing behind the bagels toasted, the craft beer poured and the coffee beans brewed.
In addition to sweet treats, the corner store offers local foods like Florida oranges, free range local chicken cuts and Minorcan Datil sausages.
Photo by Chloee Blair"When it comes from closer, it's fresher, you have a better quality. So, you're more inclined to eat it and enjoy it... and not let it go to waste in a fridge,” Liz said.
“I'm also attracted to the idea that…there's plenty of research that can break down exactly how your dollar spent locally goes a lot farther and stays in your community, rather than exporting that dollar to the big box store that's centralized somewhere else,” Liz explained. “So if you're thinking about supporting the well-being of your community and keeping that income circulating amongst your local business owners, then that strengthens your local economy, which then obviously has downstream effects for your community."
The new breakfast menu is no exception to the focus on local community. Liz said creating this new menu “opened the door up all over again to find some cool local ingredients.” While Luke’s New York Bagels out of Gainesville is sourcing the base for breakfast, Liz incorporates additional products from local makers, such as pimento cheese and pesto.
Beyond bagels, there are always events to look out for at Spinster Abbotts. The business is looking forward to building a new permanent stage for live music events, as well as adding Slush Puppies to their permanent menu.
Sometimes community starts with a good cup of coffee, but it’s always cultivated by people who care. A place to chill, connect and make yourself at home, that’s Spinster Abbott’s.
For Spinster Abbott’s upcoming events, including live music, trivia night and more, visit their Instagram.
