At The Blind Eye, the bar runs along the entire back wall. The seating climbs over more than one level, and the drinks follow a Prohibition theme. The building it sits in once housed WMOP radio, three blocks north of the Square on First Avenue. A few blocks east, at the edge of Tuscawilla Park, people order beer and pizza in what used to be City Fire Station #1.
Midtown Ocala now has two multi-vendor food halls, and both are in buildings that once served the city in other ways. They also keep very different hours. One opens for morning coffee by the lake. The other stays open until 2 a.m. on weekends. Together they have moved a large share of downtown eating and drinking north of the Square.
What Opened at 343 NE First Ave.
The Forge held its grand opening on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. Mayor Ben Marciano cut the ribbon with Joel and Sheila Gibson, Carlos Sanchez, and members of Ocala Fire Rescue, and Lewis Stokes of K Country 93.7 FM was the emcee, 352today reported. The property covers nearly three acres. It joins the historic WMOP building to an adjacent structure, so it reads more like a small campus than a single food hall.
Three full-service restaurants anchor it:
- The Hammock is brightly lit, with a center bar and coastal Spanish food served as tapas.
- Ignite is darker and more formal, with a corner bar and Asian fusion dishes. Earlier plans described sushi on the menu.
- The Blind Eye is the Prohibition-themed room, serving Southern-inspired food. Earlier plans called it a two-story speakeasy with a whiskey-focused bar program.
Smaller counters and stands fill out the property. Just Desserts serves ice cream and treats. Parting Lines serves pizza, Leaf & Vine makes salads and bowls, and Dear Jack Coffee Company and Alloy Kitchen round out the list. The venue's own site lists cargo cuisine, kiosks and hand-dipped ice cream. It also says pop-up markets, ladies' night gatherings and small concerts are planned. Plans published in 2025 included Blue Anvil Brewery, a microbrewery with a patio opening onto the central courtyard.
The Forge is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. On Sundays it serves brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner from 4 to 9 p.m. Parking is on site, and valet is available too.
Three Years From Announcement to Ribbon
The Forge took longer than first planned, which is common for projects that reuse old buildings.
- July 2023. The Ocala Star-Banner introduced a $4 million plan for the old WMOP building with four restaurants, six bars and a microbrewery.
- July 2024. The Star-Banner reported that officials expected the complex to open by Jan. 1.
- November 2025. 352today reported a winter opening, still pending final construction and permits.
- July 2026. The soft opening began, with Ignite, The Blind Eye, The Hammock, Parting Lines Pizza, Just Desserts and Alloy Kitchen open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- August 2026. The Star-Banner described a multi-level space of more than 20,000 square feet, with more restaurants still on the way.
- Oct. 10, 2026. The grand opening, with weekend hours running until 2 a.m.
The idea behind the layout held steady through every delay. The developers told 352today they wanted a walkable space where guests move freely between restaurants, bars and outdoor areas. The 2025 plans also described a special liquor license that would let guests carry drinks across the property, which 352today called rare in the Ocala area.
The Firehouse Opened First
Midtown Station had already been open for about two years when The Forge arrived. It soft-opened over Labor Day weekend in 2024 in the former City Fire Station #1 at 235 NE Watula Ave., a building that Ocala-News.com reported had stood vacant for several years. From the open-air patio you can see Lake Tuscawilla and one of the city's few fountains. Inside, a display near one entrance tells the station's history with pieces from its firehouse years.
In November 2025, 352today listed the vendors as Infinite Ale Works, Infinite Kitchen, Sipping Grounds, The Smoked Biscuit Company, Full Circle Pizza Co. and the Sugar Shack.
The biggest change since then shows how this part of town has shifted. In February 2026, Infinite Ale Works closed its original downtown taproom at 304 S Magnolia Ave. and moved everything into Midtown Station, according to Ocala-News.com. An established downtown brewery now does all of its business from the firehouse by the lake.
Two Halls, Two Different Clocks
Set side by side, the two halls have little overlap. Each one covers hours the other doesn't.
| Midtown Station | The Forge | |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 235 NE Watula Ave. | 343 NE First Ave. |
| Former use | City Fire Station #1 | WMOP radio building plus an adjacent structure |
| Opened | Fall 2024 | Soft opening July 2026, grand opening Oct. 10, 2026 |
| Setting | Lakefront patio facing Lake Tuscawilla | Nearly three-acre campus with a central courtyard |
| Anchors | Infinite Ale Works, Sipping Grounds | The Hammock, Ignite, The Blind Eye |
| Earliest weekday open | 7 a.m., per 352today's November 2025 listing | 11 a.m. |
| Latest close | 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, per the same listing | 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday |
Midtown Station, as 352today described it, is built around coffee, a brewery and casual counters, with a lake view and a break during a walk around Tuscawilla. Each vendor sets its own hours within the building's schedule, so check before heading over for a specific spot. The Forge leads with full-service restaurants and late weekend bars. Its own site says the many options are meant to suit large groups with different tastes. A Saturday could plausibly start with coffee at one and end well after dark at the other, without leaving Midtown.
Fitting Them Into a November Night Downtown
Two events on the city calendar make this month a good time to try both.
- First Friday Art Walk, Friday, Nov. 6, 6 to 9 p.m. Ocala Cultural Arts puts on this free event across historic downtown, centered on the Square, with more than 40 artist displays and live entertainment. The Forge is three blocks north of the Square on First Avenue, close enough for dinner before or a late drink after.
- Light Up Ocala, Saturday, Nov. 21, 3 to 8 p.m. The city's Recreation and Parks department runs the event downtown, with more than 100 vendors, a youth parade, live entertainment and the lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. Midtown Station opens early enough for breakfast before the crowds arrive, and The Forge stays open long after the lights come on.
Parking on busy downtown nights got easier this fall. The city opened Parking Garage 2 in September. It is free and adds six levels and hundreds of spaces, and WCJB reported that people using it during October's Art Walk found it simpler than the paid options. The garage stands where Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church stood for more than a century. The church had deep roots in Ocala's Black community, and city leaders have said they plan a plaque or memorial near the site. If you're headed straight to The Forge, its on-site lot and valet are also options.
Both food halls sit in neighborhoods we follow closely, and reused buildings like these often say a lot about where a city is putting its energy. If you'd like to talk about life near downtown and Midtown Ocala, or how this part of town has changed over the past few years, the team at Denise Heath is happy to share what we know. Let's Connect.
