Jax Makers Scene

• Jacksonville has undertaken an initiative to re-purpose old industrial buildings for the artists’ community. The CoRK Arts District is one example of this initiative. The CoRK Arts District is comprised of more than 80,000 square feet of warehouse space in several Riverside warehouses centered around artist studios and galleries. CoRK's network of warehouses date back to the 1920s. Businesses such as the Atlantic Match Company, Peter Ballantine & Sons, Francis H. Leggett & Company, Schell-Sasse, and Dixon Powdermaker established a presence there.
• North Beaches Art Walk is held on the third Thursday of every month from 5-9 p.m to share local art with the community. The event is open to the public, featuring art and performances from more than 50 artists.
• Downtown Art Walk: If you are in Jax on the first Wednesday of the month, then don’t miss the Downtown Art Walk. This free self-guided gallery tour through Downtown features pop-up galleries, arts marketplaces, food trucks, and live music.

Mention coffee in Jacksonville, and people don’t think of perennial instant coffee giant, Maxwell House, which opened a processing plant in 1910 that still stands today.

Social Grounds

• Enjoy a cup of delicious coffee that is changing the world. Jason Kelloway, a U.S. veteran started Social Grounds Coffee. In addition to sourcing the best coffee from around the world and roasting it in-house, Social Grounds works with the City of Jacksonville to employ and empower homeless Veterans. This locally owned coffee roaster has been serving great coffee with an even greater mission: employing and empowering transitional veterans in their time of need. Jacksonville is one of the nation’s largest military towns and this vet owned shop is positively impacting our community by providing resources and training to the less fortunate. Social Grounds ships their coffee all over the nation.
• Bold Bean Coffee Another local coffee maker has created a local cult-like following. Bold Bean Coffee has several locations throughout the city and partners with several breweries for unique craft beers. Vagabond Coffee
• Vagabond Coffee Company was founded by Will and Samantha Morgan in 2014. There aim is to create environments in all the locations that allow everybody to come together as a community and enjoy a great cup of coffee. BREW
• An espresso bar in the heart of Historic Five Points serving brunch everyday. Discover new things, make new friends, and enjoy yourself in the process.

Beaches Green Market

• Vendors at this market focus on sustainable products and consumer education. Look for organic coffee, fresh flowers, desserts, green crafts, natural pet treats, native plants, local beef, and in-season produce. The Beaches Green Market is held at Jarboe Park in Neptune Beach, where A1A and Florida Blvd. meet. The park also offers picnic facilities and a playground.

Riverside Arts Market

• These are not your grandmother’s craft markets! The year-round Riverside Arts Market features dozens of local craft makers, food trucks, and even craft beer brewers under the canopy of the Fuller Warren Bridge every Saturday morning. Jacksonville’s Riverside Arts Market was started in April 2009 by the Avondale Preservation, Inc. One of the main goals of RAM is to promote support for local small businesses and farms in Jacksonville by bringing farmers, artists, makers, bakers, and entertainers of Jax all to one place every weekend. Listen to live music and cruise the aisles of local artists, handmade wares, and tasty treats. The market is just a 15-minute walk from downtown

Jax Farmers Market

• With over 200 vendors, The Jacksonville Farmers Market is the oldest, still operating outdoor farmers market in Florida. Since 1938, this historic market has offered fresh produce, herbs, and local favorites like our famous Mayport shrimp. Browse crafts and handmade goods by local artisans or stop by Andy’s Farmers Market Grill for breakfast, lunch, or a quick to-go snack. The Jacksonville Farmers Market is minutes away from Downtown.

904 Pop Up

• Jacksonville's largest curated pop up featuring more than 200 creatives and 15 food trucks. The monthly event is focused on creating synergy in our creative culture and putting shine on Duval County, driving a message of community over competition. Check it out at Seawalk Pavilion in Jacksonville Beach.

Congaree and Penn

• It is one of the only rice farms in Florida, and one of the only in the nation that mills its own rice fresh all year long. Congaree and Penn also features the largest Mayhaw orchard in the world. Local couple, Scott and Lindsay Meyer, run the farm and collaborate with dozens of local restaurants on unique recipes, as well as sell the farm’s products nationwide, including rice, grits, jams and shrubs. This is what Jacksonville tastes like: southern roots with an innovative twist! Congaree & Penn began as a rice farm in the heart of Jacksonville and is now producing restaurant quality grits, brown and white rice, jelly, pecan oil, flavored shrubs and honey that can be shipped all over the nation. Their story is a truly Jacksonville one, a young, empowered couple takes it upon themselves to honor their family history by creating a unique farm experience where food and conservation lead and where the community can learn about urban farming and enjoy fine dining, great drinks, farm tours and special events. Florida’s only rice farm offers everything from rice to grits, to cider and meads, sunset tours, a full restaurant and a very cool agriculture experience just minutes from Downtown. Their products are not only sold online but are used across Jacksonville by some of the destination’s best restaurants. Get a taste of Jax through their online shop.

1748 Bakehouse

• Jacksonville locals Allison and Kurt D’Aurizio are a baker-and-chef duo. 1748 is a community based bakery, restaurant and bodega. The brick and mortar has been open since Oct. 2019 but they have been baking in Jacksonville since 2015. Grab some delicious treats and vegan options at this made-from-scratch Springfield favorite.

Community Loaves

• Organic, sourdough bread baked daily in a funky little bakery nestled into the Murray Hill neighborhood. Breakfast treats and lunch also offered. And do not miss a pizza night in their backyard garden!

Popular Chefs

• Jonathan Insetta has been elevating the Jacksonville food scene for over a decade, becoming a pioneer by opening high-end concepts everyone could enjoy. Bellwether, Black Sheep and Orsay are some of the best examples of Jacksonville’s culinary scene and Insetta is responsible for making them all a reality.

Rethreaded

• Sex trafficking survivors become creative powerhouses at this Jacksonville nonprofit. The organization recycles materials to create beautiful products that can be shipped across the nation. Their story is one of on empowerment and awareness as Rethreaded provides employment for survivors of human trafficking in Jacksonville. Rethreaded also operates as a distribution company that sells products from like-minded businesses who also employ women who have found freedom from the sex trade.

Wolf & Cub

• This finely curated concept shop in Downtown Jacksonville is packed with independently produced products, interesting goods for the home and beautiful things to wear for women and men. The Wolf & Cub brand proudly offers one-of-a-kind jewelry, local hand-screenprinted clothing, unique vintage finds and curiosities that stand out in a crowd. Their Jax branded products are beautiful and can be purchased all across the nation on their website.

Eco Relics

• This one-of-a-kind antiques store is “committed to reducing waste, repurposing supplies, and providing reclaimed and discount building materials to our community.” They clean out buildings being renovated or torn down and resell the items in this huge store. Anything from antique doorknobs, reclaimed wood, bath tubs, furniture, you name it! They also have their own woodworking shop and use their products to create beautiful pieces. Even if you aren’t remodeling, it’s inspirational just to explore the store and consider all that is there!

• The Railyard District is an emerging commerce and artisanal borough off Downtown Jacksonville with a collective sense of history and innovation. Home to locally owned businesses like Eco Relics, Rethreaded, the Jacksonville Farmers Market and unique architectural gems like the Glass Factory, this evolving neighborhood is focused on highlighting the history that once made it one of Jacksonville’s busiest areas and repurposing its once abandoned warehouses and buildings into new creativity centers.
• The Doro District is comprised of several early-20th century industrial buildings originally owned by the Doro family. The area is aiming to become in epicenter for culinary, cultural and artistic creativity in Jax. The Doro District is already home to an all-organic craft distillery, Manifest Distilling, and Jacksonville’s largest tap room and craft brewery, Intuition Ale Works.