What's going on at 3446 12th Avenue in Oakland Park? Our hopes are high.
Credit: Jesse Scott
If you’ve driven down Oakland Park’s buzziest stretch lately, you’ve probably clocked the papered-over windows at 3446 NE 12th Avenue and wondered: What’s going on in there?
For months, the former home of Cyth & Co. and Switchbox Coffee Roasters has sat quiet. But a big ole sign posted near the sidewalk offers a pretty intriguing clue. Titled “Notice of Proposed Development,” the document references a project called JellyBean’s Funhouse Record Store. The description? “A Development Review Committee application seeking approval to remodel the existing building into a retail record store with first- and second-floor coffee, kava and juice bars, plus improvements to an outdoor seating area within the right-of-way.”
Yes, you read that right: record store meets caffeine meets kava lounge.
While official confirmation remains elusive, it can reasonably be assumed the project is tied to John Benitez, better known to generations of dance-floor devotees as Jellybean. The Grammy-winning producer and DJ helped define the sound of the ’80s and ’90s, working with artists like Madonna and Whitney Houston. A retail concept rooted in vinyl culture would be right on brand.
An Instagram account for JellyBean’s Funhouse Record Store currently boasts 749 followers and teases a March 2026 opening. A Facebook page mirrors those updates. As of press time, however, no visible construction progress can be seen from the street, and Browardist’s request for comment from Benitez has gone unanswered as of press time.
Still, the concept feels tailor-made for Oakland Park’s evolving creative corridor. A two-story vinyl haven with coffee and kava flowing could quickly become a community hub.
For now, we wait. But if the sign is any indication, Oakland Park’s hottest stretch may soon get an exciting soundtrack.
