If you wait all month for the food truck rally, your favorite truck could get a permanent home in Swan City with this latest development.
Meet Main Street Eats, a new concept from entrepreneurs Butch Rahman and Chad Englund that would permanently park up to eight food trucks in a food court-style set-up east of downtown Lakeland at 1108 E. Main St.
While Rahman + Englund hope to develop the former used car lot there into the food truck court, Lakelanders Ken James and Ziomara Taveras — perhaps better known as the owners of Plates on Deck — would manage it. The duo recently competed on the 17th season of “The Great Food Truck Race” — so needless to say, it’ll be in good hands.
In addition to the food trucks, LkldNow shared that the site plan also includes:
- Renovating a 1912 home into a restaurant and acoustic music venue
- Transforming a 1950s office into customer bathrooms and a vendor preparation area
- Adding an adjacent parking lot that faces Rose Street
Rahman + Englund said they are also considering filing for additional permits to sell beer and wine in the future.
During its Nov. 19 meeting, members of the Lakeland Planning & Zoning Board unanimously approved the plan. The Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency also expressed support by preapproving $175,000 in reimbursement for the site’s renovation.
Next, the plan will be voted on by city commissioners before construction can begin. If approved, Rahman + Englund hope the site will be open by next summer.
