An exterior shot of an Aldi super market

Get your quarters and bags ready, Lakeland. | Photo by LALtoday

Opening dates are always subject to change, but there are some exciting dates you should mark on your calendar. Here are two grand openings you don’t want to miss. 👀

ALDI, 4532 S. Florida Ave.
A quick Google search tells us that Lakeland’s second ALDI location is opening next month. Get your quarters and bags ready — we’re already anxious to shop for those famous ALDI finds.

A painter working on a brightly colored mural of vegetables and the Lakeland Southgate sign. — Local artist Gillian Fazio is putting some Lakeland flair into this Fresh Kitchen location.

Fresh Kitchen, 4520 S. Florida Ave.
According to our friends at Fresh Kitchen, Lakeland’s first location is opening its doors this April. Whether you’re on the hunt for gluten-free eats or another spot for delicious grab-and-go chef-inspired meals, it’s time to get excited.

A hand holding a plastic boba tea cup in front of a decorated wall — Stop by Hana Tea House for boba, smoothies, and snacks.

If there’s one thing we love even more than looking ahead, it’s enjoying one of Lakeland’s newest spots. Check out these recently opened establishments:

Hana Tea House, 4525 S. Florida Ave. Ste. 7 | Bubble tea, fresh smoothies, spring rolls, crab Rangoon, and more
COhatch, 211 E. Main St. | A three-story co-working space offering varying amenities and member benefits in downtown Lakeland
J. Burns’, 5615 S. Florida Ave., Ste. 101 | The business’ third location offering classic and gluten-free pizzas
The Back Nine, 124 S. Tennessee Ave. | The business’ second location offering simulated sports, American fare, and cold beers
Tea Rx, 3114 S. Florida Ave. | Fruit smoothies, vegetable juices, bubble teas, salads, Bahn mi, and more
My Ramen, 3121 US Hwy. 98 S. | Hibachi lunch, ramen, milk tea, and more
Black & Brew Coffee House and Bistro Southside, 4209 S. Florida Ave. | Salads, sandwiches, coffee, and more for dine-in or pickup via the business’ first express drive-thru

That’s just the start — click below for even more up-and-coming and new spots in Swan City.

32 MORE SPOTS TO WATCH

POLL

Your grand opening approach is:

A. Excited — I’ll be first in line on opening day.
B. Moderate — I’ll stop by during the first week to celebrate.
C. Relaxed — I’ll wait a few weeks for the hype to simmer down.

SHARE YOUR STRATEGY

EVENTS

Click here to have your event featured.

Monday, Jan. 23

The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra | Monday, Jan. 23 | 7-9 p.m. | Branscomb Auditorium at Florida Southern College, 1100 Johnson Ave., Lakeland | $35-$49 | Hear classics like “Moonlight Serenade,” “Little Brown Jug,” “In The Mood,” and more performed live.

Tuesday, Jan. 24

Beginning Genealogy | Tuesday, Jan. 24 | 5:30-7 p.m. | Lakeland Public Library History Room, 100 Lake Morton Dr., Lakeland | Free | Learn how to organize your research, use local resources, and connect with genealogy groups to research your family tree.

Wednesday, Jan. 25

General Knowledge Trivia w/ Billy’s Roadside Grill | Wednesday, Jan. 25 | 6:30 p.m. | Swan Brewing, 115 W. Pine St., Lakeland | Free | Put your knowledge to the test with a team of your smartest friends — enjoy brain food from Billy’s Roadside Grill.

Thursday, Jan. 26

Chris D’Elia LIVE! | Thursday, Jan. 26 | 7-10 p.m. | RP Funding Center, 701 W. Lime St., Lakeland | $49-$175 | Laugh it up with comedian and podcaster Chris D’Elia, known for Netflix specials like “No Pain” (2020), “Man on Fire” (2017), and “Incorrigible” (2015).

Friday, Jan. 27

“Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” | Friday, Jan. 27 | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Lakeland Community Theatre, 121 S. Lake Ave., Lakeland | $20-$26 | Laugh along at this comedic play featuring five bridesmaids hiding out from a wedding reception.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

NEWS NOTES

Weather

69º | Partly cloudy | 0% chance of rain

Traffic

Lime Street will close to vehicles and pedestrians between Tennessee Avenue and Kentucky Avenue today at 9 a.m. Crews will be working to repair the sewer beneath Lime Street for several days. Pro tip: Pad your commute time with a few extra minutes and watch for detours downtown. 🚧

Biz

Central Florida breweries like Lakeland’s Swan Brewing are part of a Visit Central Florida initiative — Adventure on Tap. The mobile brewery passport encourages tourists to support Polk’s economy by visiting local breweries. Participants can win prizes, redeem special offers, and enter giveaways. 🍻 (WFTS)

Number

$60 million. That’s how much was invested into Bartow High School’s modernization project. Improvements, which have been in the works since 2019, included new space for a science and technology building, culinary arts academies, a new field house, a state-of-the-art recording studio, and more.

Development

The Lakeland Planning and Zoning Board will review an updated proposal for Cogent Capital Management’s new self-storage facility at 2575 Harden Blvd. during its February meeting. The facility was previously denied and has since updated its designs to comply with concerns. The scaled-down development would be 94,000-sqft. (The Ledger)

Holiday

Sometimes love is downright scary. Tickets are on sale now for the Valentine’s Day spooktacular — “Love’s Revenge” — at Sir Henry’s Haunted Trail (2837 S. Frontage Rd., Plant City). If you and your date can make it through this, we bet you’re the perfect match. 💘

Listen

The 2023 Florida Strawberry Festival is just around the corner, starting on Thursday, March 2. To get yourself in the strawberry spirit, check out this Spotify playlist featuring hit songs from the festival’s headliners, including Train, For King & Country, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and more. Tickets are on sale now.

Eat

Head to Waco Kitchen at Lakeland Linder International Airport on Saturday, Feb. 4 for an all-you-can-eat breakfast from 8-11 a.m. Limited tickets are available online. Menu items include grilled steak, shrimp and grits, mimosas, and more. 🍾
Last week, we shared some of Lakeland’s gluten-free and gluten-free accommodating eateries. Here’s another one to add to your list: Parkesdale Market. Fans of the market’s famous strawberry shortcake can now order it sans gluten, thanks to a partnership with The Girl With The Whisk Tattoo.

Legacy

After battling cancer, Lakeland police officer Sergeant Travis Miller has died. The Lakeland Police Department shared the news of Sergeant Miller’s passing on Thurs., Jan. 19. The post celebrated Sergeant Miller’s 22 years of service to his country, Polk County, and Lakeland. (WFLA)

Biz

Need some New Year’s inspiration to start your new side hustle? Catapult is home to many startups and their inspiring stories. Pro tip: Become the next success story when you sign up for a membership.*

Real Estate

Looking for max outdoor living in your next home? Meet The Adventurer by Hulbert Homes — a 3, 4, or 5 BD, 4 BA stunner with a three-car garage, den, and flex space. Bonus: The pool + lanai provide year-round relaxation and the home is move-in ready. 🏡 *

Home

Did you know? Payne Air’s NATE certified technicians are highly trained and well-versed in state-of-the-art technology that delivers whole-home control. The specialists from Payne Air will help determine the most effective plan of action and handle the installation of everything from smart thermostats and air purification systems to UV lights. Contact Payne Air to learn more.*

Family

The Aerospace Center for Excellence is adding five new summer camps this year, including STEMtastic, Destination Aviation, Take Flight, Future Engineer, and She Can Fly. From discovery flights to explorations in engineering, these camps can help your child chart their course toward a lifelong love of aviation. Sign up. ✈️ *

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TRY THIS

Have an upcoming event to share? 🗓

Invite fellow Lakelanders to an upcoming festival, bookclub, or market. | Photo via @danelover1964

ICYMI, we launched a new and improved events calendar about four months ago, with the goal of creating the most robust, relevant, and hyper-local events calendar possible.

While we’re happy with the final product, our calendar is just missing one thing: Your recommendations. Not sure how to submit an event? It’s simple. Follow the steps below.

1️⃣ Create a CitySpark account.
2️⃣ Go to our events page.
3️⃣ Click the green “Add event” button.
4️⃣ Fill out the event submission form.

Fun fact: Our online calendar is also where we source most of our events for the daily newsletter, meaning the best way to get your event in the newsletter is to submit it online.

Want to guarantee coverage for your event? You can also always submit a paid listing request.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Rilee.

Editor’s pick: One of my goals this year is to be a more informed consumer — and that includes my utility bill. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know much about Lakeland Electric or how it works, and as I’m already on the hunt for answers, I figured I’d bring you along with me. If you have questions for Lakeland Electric, send them my way and I’ll take them directly to the experts.

Missed Friday’s newsletter? We covered the Central Florida Comic Con, here.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Rilee Delgado, Connor Keith, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Kailey Burke | Advertise with us.

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