After nearly two decades on Ocala's downtown square, Stella's Modern Pantry is packing up its coffee cups on Broadway. The café, market and bakery that has anchored 20 SW Broadway for 18 years will serve its last customers at the current location on June 20, 2026, with owners promising that Stella's is not gone for good, just moving.
Owners Stacey Atsides and Albert Barrett have been telling regulars that the concept will resurface elsewhere, even if they are not yet ready to say where. Longtime customers have been stopping in for one more pastry, one more bottle of wine and a few more stories across the counter before the doors close on this chapter.
As reported by the Ocala Star‑Banner, Atsides and Barrett confirmed that June 20 will be the final day of service at 20 SW Broadway. They cited the end of the lease at the longtime storefront as the trigger for the move and said they intend to keep the Stella's brand alive at a new address, which they have not yet disclosed.
Ocala‑News.com noted back in April that the owners first announced the change months in advance, urging customers to come by in the weeks leading up to the move. That earlier coverage said the lease on the Broadway space was coming to an end and described Stella's as a downtown gathering spot that doubled as both a market and a bakery.
What Stella's Leaves Behind
Ocala Style has spent years spotlighting Stella's eclectic mix of pastries, imported pantry goods and Barrett's cakes, casting the shop as equal parts café counter and specialty grocer. Regulars say that blend is exactly what made the place feel different from a standard coffee shop or bakery.
The formula was simple but unusual for downtown Ocala: a small café for coffee, wine and light bites, curated shelves of gourmet items and a rotating pastry case that kept people checking in to see what was new. That combination helped Stella's carve out a loyal following and a distinct identity on the square.
Downtown Turnover And What Comes Next
Stella's move is landing at a time when downtown Ocala is in flux. Several longtime businesses have recently closed their doors even as new hotels and national chains arrive, shifting the feel of the historic core.
Ocala‑News.com has reported on the changing retail mix and a string of recent openings, noting that the Broadway corridor in particular is being reshaped by development and redevelopment projects. Stella's exit from its original home folds into that broader story of a downtown trying to balance growth with the character that drew locals there in the first place.
According to the Ocala Star‑Banner, Stella's final day at 20 SW Broadway is set for June 20, and the owners have asked customers to make these last days count by stopping in and sharing memories of the café's 18-year run. They have not announced a reopening date or a new address, saying they will share details once plans for Stella's next home are finalized.
