In 1896, a man named Joseph Lord built this house in a citrus grove overlooking Roberts Bay. Back then, most of Florida was still wilderness. Lord was a major landholder in what would become Sarasota County—he saw something in this coast that others didn't.
He built the house to last. Two stories, high ceilings to catch the Gulf breeze, a wraparound porch for the Florida heat. You can still see the original square-headed nails, the wooden dowels in the oak floor, the hinges he picked out 130 years ago.
Later, George Higel bought the place. Higel wasn't just any resident—he was one of Venice's founding fathers. A businessman, a civic leader, the kind of guy who helped turn a small settlement into a real town.
From this house, he ran his business, hosted community gatherings, and helped chart the future of Venice. He wrote newspaper columns under the pen name “Nemo” for the Sarasota Times. We've got copies on the wall if you want to read them.
In 1950, the house was scheduled for demolition. Progress, they called it. But the Higel family wasn't having it. They moved the entire structure to land they owned, saving it from the wrecking ball.
In 2005, the house was donated to the City of Venice and moved to Granada Avenue—right behind City Hall, in the heart of downtown. A long restoration began.
In 2025, Black Gold Coffee Roasters got the lease. Gary Lauter and his team have been roasting coffee in Venice for over 15 years. They rebuilt the wraparound porch (it had been removed in the 1950 move), installed modular fixtures that won't damage the historic structure, and opened the doors.
Now it's a coffee house. We keep indoor seating minimal so you can actually see the house—the floors, the trim, the details. The porch is where most people hang out anyway.
We rotate history displays from the city museum and archives. There's a rare photo of Joseph Lord. George Higel's “Nemo” columns. Bits and pieces of 130 years.