USA, FL: Kookaburra Coffee wants to add beer to its menu in St. Augustine

The Kookaburra Coffee wants to brew more than just coffee, Jacksonville Daily Record reported on March 31.

Plans under review in St. Johns County indicate it wants to add beer to the menu at its location at 470 Florida 207 in St. Augustine.

Known as the Kookaburra Compound, it is one of seven stores in North Florida. It is the fifth location it opened and where it roasts all of its coffee, as of 2020.

Site plans submitted for Bushranger Brewing March 24 show it plans to grow its footprint there of 5,554 square feet, which includes its retail shop and coffee production plant, by adding 8,911 square feet of improvements. Those include the proposed brewery and a warehouse.

Matt Hooker, co-owner and founder St. Augustine-based Old Coast Ales, said he is working with Kookaburra ownership to “fill a void in the 207 corridor for a local brewery.”

He said the project has been in the works for about two years.

“The selection primarily, but not exclusively, will be to produce lower to mid alcohol British style ales. We have also added a kitchen in the plans, and will feature a pizza oven,” he said in an email.

Kookaburra Coffee was founded in 2012 by Australian-American Spencer Hooker and partner Megan Vidal.

Hooker said he hopes to break ground this summer and to open by spring 2026.

“But as you know, a timeline for building is a moving target,” he said in the email.

Kookaburra owns the 1.5-acre property through Bushrangers LLC. It bought the property for $825,000 from Flowers Baking Co. in 2020.

Maverick Engineering of Saint Johns is the civil engineer.

Other Kookaburra locations serve coffee at 1835 U.S. 1, 647 A1A Beach Blvd., and 4265 A1A S., all in St. Augustine; at 351 Town Plaza Ave., Suite 102A, in Nocatee; and 11694 Research Drive in Alachua.

It is moving from its original location at 24 Cathedral Place to 18 Cathedral Place in Downtown St. Augustine. It also has an “outpost” at The St. Augustine Amphitheatre.

Kookaburra was founded in 2012 by Australian-American Spencer Hooker and partner Megan Vidal.

According to its website, “the concept was born out of family and community experiences and a desire to meld the best coffee and baked goods imaginable with world-class service.”

“What we are today is the direct result of the wonderful people who have been involved in our development as employees, patrons, friends and family. We are truly a product of our environment, and we couldn’t be more proud,” the site says.

In addition to on-site coffee drinks and baked goods, it also sells coffee grounds, syrups, hot sauce and apparel.

The St. Johns County Development Review Committee will discuss the project April 4 at its regularly scheduled meeting at 4040 Lewis Speedway in St. Augustine.

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