A bakery that took over a space in downtown Ocala last fall has ended its run at the location and the previous owner is now looking for a new tenant.
Night Owl Bakery has officially closed its location at 56 SE 1st Avenue. The closure of the shop, which was owned and operated by Jessica Ferrara, comes less than six months after the bakery opened in the space on November 21.
Night Owl Bakery originally took over the space from Soleil, which consolidated locations last year and now operates out of 2435 SW 27th Avenue, in the Shady Oaks Shopping Plaza.
Melanie Patrick, the owner of Soleil, confirmed the closure of Night Owl Bakery in a message shared to social media on Monday, April 20.
“This space is now open and available for lease. There is still furniture in here, it is ready to go,” said Patrick in the video.
Patrick is asking any business owners who may be interested in renting the space to contact her at [email protected].
“We would really appreciate the community helping us out here by sharing this, so we can get somebody in this space to build the downtown community and help it continue to grow as it is,” said Patrick.
Ocala-News.com first reported news of Night Owl Bakery taking over the space in September 2025.
Night Owl Bakery’s abrupt closure comes the same week that Stella’s Modern Pantry announced that it will also close its location in downtown Ocala in the coming weeks.
Over the past two years, downtown has seen the addition of at least a half a dozen restaurants and the closures of several others. That includes RHN Wagyu Meat Market, Barons Creek Vineyards, MOOYAH Burgers, Mellow Mushroom, and District Bar & Kitchen, all of which have opened their doors since September 2024.
Over virtually the same period, Brown Dog Coffeehouse, Molly Maguire’s, The Keep, Pi on Broadway, the Shannon Roth Collection, and The Courtyard have all closed their locations in downtown.
What are your thoughts on the news of Night Owl Bakery closing? Share them in a comment below or, if you have more to say on the topic, write a letter to the editor.