SANFORD, Fla. – Ace Cafe Sanford — a motorcycle and rock ‘n’ roll themed restaurant — is set to start construction Saturday, according to a news release.
The eatery is expected to open by summer, according to the restaurant’s website.
Meanwhile, there will be a groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday with city officials celebrating the comeback of this historic London-based brand to Central Florida.
Ace Cafe had a location in Orlando, which opened in 2017 and closed six years later, as previously reported.
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It was announced in May 2024 that the eatery was making a comeback to Florida.
The team Sean Kelley and Steve Glum are behind the brand’s comeback to the Sunshine State. Glum previously worked with the Ace Cafe team opening the Orlando restaurant, but he told News 6 he left the eatery before it closed.
“It’s not a rehash of Ace Cafe Orlando,” Glum previously told News 6. “Same honoring of the legacy of Ace Cafe in London, but all new.”
Kelley owns the building where Ace Cafe Sanford is, Glum said. It is located at 115 N Laurel Avenue.
The building is 12,000 square feet and will have not just a restaurant and bar, but also a live music venue and gift shop, according to a news release.
“It’s a great building. It’s got hardwood floors. It’s got brick walls,” Glum previously told News 6. “It’s a great live-sounding room for music, but it’s got its own vibe and it’s going to be a cool place to sort of absorb this new Ace.”
Ace Cafe opened in London in 1938 and has since become known as the “world famous motor diner” connecting those who love riding motorbikes and rock ‘n’ roll. There are five locations across the globe, from Japan to Switzerland, and the only other restaurant in the U.S. is in Pennsylvania, per the restaurant’s website.
“We think it’s going to be a spectacular location,” Glum previously said. “Sanford is just like the nexus of Central Florida now.”
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