If you’ve ever wondered when Lakeland might get its first grocery or convenience store downtown, your wait is over. A 1,500 sqft storefront called bodega Market is opening on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 106 N. Tennessee Ave., a space formerly held by Silver Ring Cafe.
The restaurant has occupied 106 N. Tennessee Ave. since 1986, but with the lease expiring on Aug. 31, 2022, the space became available for a new tenant. Enter: bodega Market. The small-scale convenience store, which could be open by late November, plans to stay stocked with a mixture of local + mainstream brands.
The idea for bodega Market comes from two Lakelanders who already have a presence in downtown: Yohansi and Amaury Santana, owners of Divicious Deli and Coffee Shop.
We’re excited about:
- Convenient hours. The market’s hours are tentatively scheduled to be Monday-Saturday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., making it the perfect spot to stop by for any last minute necessities before your morning meetings at Catapult Lakeland, after lunch at Black and Brew, or before a post-workday happy hour stop at Revival.
- Flexible shopping. Sometimes, you just don’t have time to stop in. Luckily for us, the spot will offer both curbside pickup and delivery options.
- Variety. The spot will offer everything from food to toiletries to OTC medications. Specifically, we can expect snacks, fresh baked bread, deli cold cuts, fruits, vegetables, juice, milk, frozen foods, beer, wine, and cigarettes.
- Increased sustainability. For the 1,200 residents living downtown, a local bodega will increase walkability and provide options for in-a-pinch situations (think: this recipe calls for more milk than I have).
According to building owner, Kate Lake, bodega Market will meet an existing need for both downtown residents and workers. “I am not only a building owner and business owner, but I’m also a resident of downtown Lakeland, so I’ve seen personally the need to get perishable items.
I am excited to have a convenience store right on Munn park that will meet a wide variety of needs. It’s for the residents and the workers to pick up something easy and get moving.”