The gathering place 

Written & photographed by

Evie Sanchez

Adorned with floral rattan couches and hanging houseplants, Spinster Abbott’s invites you to exhale, catch up with an old friend, cozy up with a good book or jam out with a local band. The eclectic and locally sourced bodega, coffee shop and taproom’s identity extends beyond its aesthetic and can be felt in the warm sense of community shown by owners Liz and Sam Snyder and their staff. 

“This is a place for anybody and everybody,” Liz said. The Snyders have a history of caring for others, and that same mindset has shaped their new business. Today, it serves as a third space where members of the community can meet, interact and enjoy the local culture. It’s also reflected in the food they serve, with a recently launched breakfast menu that includes acai bowls, smoothies and a full range of bagel sandwiches served out of a blue-trimmed walk-up window.

Before there were bagels and a bodega, young Liz could be found sipping Slush Puppies barefoot in a Jiffy Store. A Gainesville native, she grew up treasuring St. Augustine as a second home. She later 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. 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 [and] 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 ashtrays are at the ready beneath the disco ball and backyard lights that hang above the patio.

“I think people are hungry for real-life interactions,” Liz said. “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 explained that the couple was 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 of while living in Alaska. In fact, 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 like that had been repressed for 15 years, and this was my chance to fall back into something 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 handmade Hawaiian food served by HotBox out of an old Airstream, this corner of Uptown oozes with nostalgia. In the bodega, visitors can find reminders of childhood: candy cigarettes, Pop Rocks and Big League Chew.

Liz says the goal is to create a space where everyone feels welcome, from toddlers to older adults. She takes the time to research and stock a variety that appeals to different age groups, ensuring there’s something familiar for everyone.

When it comes to the food menu, the aim is to avoid overcomplicating and overthinking. “If you start with a good ingredient, a little bit of skill and a little bit of care, you're going to get a good product, right?” Liz said.

Anyone who tries the Juicy Lucy, one of their signature drinks featuring espresso, house-made mint syrup and fresh lime juice, would have to agree. Intentional sourcing is at the heart of everything, from the bagels and craft beer to the coffee brewed each day.

In addition to sweet treats, the corner store offers locally sourced foods, including Florida oranges, free range chicken and Minorcan Datil sausages.

   Photo by Chloee Blair

But for Liz, the benefits of shopping locally extend beyond the higher quality food itself. “Your dollar spent locally goes a lot farther and stays in our community,” she said.

The new breakfast menu continues that commitment to local sourcing. Liz said creating the menu “opened the door up all over again to find some cool local ingredients.” While Luke’s New York Bagels out of Gainesville is the base for breakfast, Liz incorporates additional products from local makers, “like pimento cheese or pesto.”

Beyond bagels, there’s always something going on at Spinster Abbott’s. The business is planning to build a permanent stage for live music, and will also be adding Slush Puppies to the menu.

Community may start with a good cup of coffee, but it’s the care that keeps them coming back and the Snyders have perfected this, creating a chill space where locals can gather, connect and feel at home.

For Spinster Abbott’s upcoming events, including live music, trivia night and more, visit their Instagram.

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