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Happy 15th, Avoca!
Fifteen years ago, on March 17, 2011, Avoca Coffee Roasters opened its doors on Magnolia Avenue and served its first cup of coffee. What began as one shop has grown into a Fort Worth institution with four locations and a commitment to community.
“When I think about the last 15 years, I think about all the ways Magnolia has transformed and how Avoca has grown alongside it,” Craig Morgan, owner of Avoca, said. “This has always been a labor of love. Creating spaces where people want to be, where community happens — and doing it with obsessive attention to quality — that’s the real reward.”
Avoca celebrated its 15th anniversary on Saturday, March 7.
When Avoca opened on Magnolia Avenue in 2011, the street was still finding its identity. The founders transformed an old auto body shop adjacent to the historic Fairmount neighborhood into a gathering place focused on quality, craft, and community. Avoca was among the first new businesses to believe in the area’s potential, helping catalyze Magnolia’s transformation into one of Fort Worth’s most vibrant corridors. It was also one of Fort Worth’s first coffee shops to source and roast its own specialty beans.
The company’s growth has since mirrored Fort Worth’s development. Avoca joined the West 7th District with its Foch Street location in 2016. As major mixed-use projects were opening their doors, Avoca began serving the growing number of residents and visitors.
In 2021, Avoca opened in the Mule Alley development in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards, demonstrating once again its knack for identifying Fort Worth’s hot spots at exactly the right moment. As the only coffee shop in the district, the location serves both locals and the millions of tourists who visit each year.
“Being in the Stockyards means we get to introduce Fort Worth to visitors from all over the world,” said Operations Manager Ced Dowdy, who runs the Stockyards location. “We’re also the only breakfast option and coffee shop in the area, which is an opportunity we take seriously.”
Avoca also expanded to Denton in 2021. Just blocks from the University of North Texas campus, it’s a favorite study spot for students in the rapidly growing city.
As one of Fort Worth’s first local coffee shops, Avoca has long served as a space for creatives to gather and work. Walk into any Avoca location and you’ll find walls adorned with rotating artworks from local artists. Every year, they take part in community events like ArtsGoggle and Open Streets, activating the parking lot at its Magnolia Avenue location with live music, play spaces for kids, and pop-up food vendors.
Avoca also regularly hosts open mic nights, providing a platform for poets, musicians and storytellers. The shops showcase local musicians through curated performances, and host chess club gatherings and other special events for community partners.
“We want to create spaces where the community can gather, create and connect,” Justin Morrissette, Avoca’s Operations Manager, shared. “That means opening our doors to artists, musicians and anyone who wants to be part of something.”
Their commitment to Fort Worth extends to food offerings as well. The shops partner with local bakeries including The Black Rooster Bakery and Swiss Pastry Shop for baked goods offerings, keeping the menu rooted in community from cup to plate.
Three years ago, Avoca became the official coffee provider for the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, opening two temporary locations each January to serve the hundreds of thousands of attendees during the three-week event. “As a local roaster and coffee shop, it feels right to be part of this Fort Worth tradition,” said Morrissette.
Avoca’s community commitment extends to environmental stewardship, too. The company donates its used coffee grounds to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden for composting and soil creations, turning waste into nourishment for one of the city’s most beloved green spaces.
From that first cup poured in 2011, to four thriving locations across Fort Worth and Denton, Avoca has woven itself into the fabric of the community. Today, Avoca Coffee Roasters employs more than 55 staff and continues to set the standard — not just as a roaster and coffee shop, but as a community partner and gathering place where exceptional coffee and genuine connection meet.
