05.23.2024

Today’s Forecast

95º | 9% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:33 a.m. | Sunset 8:15 p.m.

Saluting Lakeland’s veteran-owned businesses

Check out these veteran-owned businesses in Lakeland

Children running towards a flagpole; an American flag waves in the wind

From restaurants to retail stores, take a look at these six veteran-owned businesses that call Lakeland home. | Photo by @namzug66

According to SCORE, there are around 1.7 million veteran-owned businesses in the US that drive more than $1 trillion annually for the nation’s economy. We recently asked our readers some of their favorite veteran-owned businesses in Lakeland — here’s who they saluted, plus a few more you may not know about:

Will Power Fitness | Gym | 1014 Walt Williams Rd.
“The best shape of my life came from working hard with Will. [He’s a] motivator, caring and consistent.” — Reader M. Sanchez

A shelf with coffee and a letter board menu on the wall. — Visit this veteran-owned establishment for a variety of tea + coffee beverages, including beans roasted by Patriot Coffee Roasters.
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Photo by LALtoday

Black & Brew | Coffee shop and bistro | Locations vary
This coffee spot was founded in 2006 by veteran Chris McArthur. McArthur also owns Patriot Coffee Roasters, whose beans can be found at Black & Brew, Hillcrest Coffee, and Born & Bread Bakehouse.

Amy Long, Keller Williams | Realtor | 218 E. Pine St.
“She has a heart for our veterans and knows herself the battles it takes to return and find community.” — Reader Teresa O.

A colorful mural is shown featuring flowers, honeybees, and the words "Dream, Play, Explore." — Artist Kate Hall painted this colorful mural that will greet families who visit Kid Cafe.
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Photo by @art_of_kate_hall

Kid Cafe Lakeland | Indoor playspace | 2947 S. Florida Ave.
This new veteran-owned business opening June 28 will feature soft play equipment for kids, as well as a cafe for parents to sit, study + work.

Gaskins BBQ and Lobster | Restaurant | 1614 Town Center Dr.
“Great food, great variety, and owners are very attentive to the staff ensuring top notch food and service.” — Reader Steve B.

Go Bang Supply Co. | Firearm store | 2322 E. Edgewood Dr.
“Great customer service and great products.” — Reader Tim W.

Know of any other great veteran-owned businesses that we missed? Let us know.

Events

Thursday, May 23

Improv Acting for Teens | Thursday, May 23 | 3-4 p.m. | Larry R. Jackson Branch Library, 1700 N. Florida Ave., Lakeland | Free | Teenagers can learn how to create scenes and characters on the spot.
Trivia Thursday at Crave | Thursday, May 23 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ, 2250 Griffin Rd., Lakeland | Free entry | Answer general knowledge questions to win prizes and free food.

Friday, May 24

Barre Fitness | Friday, May 24 | 10-10:45 a.m. | Kelly Recreation Complex, 404 Imperial Blvd., Lakeland | $5 | All ages can strengthen their lower body, core, and upper body through this ballet-inspired class.
Rug Tufting Workshop | Friday, May 24 | 5:30 p.m. | ART/ifact Studios, 820 N. Massachusetts Ave., Ste. 201, Lakeland | $80-$100 | Create your own original rug under the guidance of experts from Wolf in the Workshop.

Saturday, May 25

Little Lake Play Turns One | Saturday, May 25 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | Little Lake Play, 111 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland | Free entry | Celebrate the indoor playspace’s first anniversary with a bounce house, refreshments, vendors + more — RSVP required.
STEM in the Park | Saturday, May 25 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Bonnet Springs Park, 400 Bonnet Springs Blvd., Lakeland | Free | Head to the Nature Center Classroom for science, technology, engineering, and math activities.

Sunday, May 26

Pilates in the Beer Garden | Sunday, May 26 | 11 a.m. | Keel & Curley Winery, 5202 Thonotosassa Rd., Plant City | $20 | Improve your strength, flexibility, balance, and posture in this class for all levels.
The Gregory Metts Comedy Hour | Sunday, May 26 | 8-9:30 p.m. | The Parrot, 1030 E. Main St., Lakeland | Free | Florida standup comics will take the stage at this cover-free showcase.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Shop

The Father’s Day gifts he’ll ask for every year

It’s not too late to order the Harlestons Seaside Hoodie, Seaside Pullover, or Seaside Pocket Polo for Father’s Day. | Photos by Drew Somerville

Calling all children, partners, and friends of dads everywhere: Harlestons’ Seaside Collection will have the men in your life wishing Father’s Day — ahem, coming up on June 16 — was everyday.

Mix and match any of the pieces in the Seaside Collection (including the hoodie, polo, and quarter-zip) to create a complete look perfect for Father’s Day. Wearable throughout every season, Harlestons’ easy-care, performance fabric keeps you both cozy and cool all year long.

Father's Day gifts that won't miss

News Notes

Biz

New things are brewing for Mitchell’s Coffee Shop. Founder Mitchell Harvey sold the business to Lakelanders Mark + Saundra Biddinger last week. Regulars can still expect to see the same staff and menu items under the new ownership. (LkldNow)

Ranked

Lakeland captured spot No. 80 on U.S. News & World Report’s list of 150 best places to live in the US for 2024-2025. Lakeland’s 6.2/10 rating was determined based on public data + resident opinions on criteria like desirability and quality of life.

Real Estate

New data from the Urban Land Institute is spotlighting Florida’s housing market. While Lakeland is struggling to keep up with adding enough units per new household, it’s performing better than several other markets when it comes to housing affordability — see the data. (Business Observer)

Eat

Bandidas fans, rejoice. The bakery is hosting a pop-up this Saturday, May 25 at its new storefront at 1755 E. Edgewood Dr. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., stop in to get a taste of new + fan-favorite items like the Hippie Scone, Orange Blossom cake, and more.

Number

35. That’s how many years of lot sales the City of Lakeland’s Oak Hill Cemetery has left at the current rate of sale (think: around 500 spaces annually). If cemetery plots run out, Lakelanders’ burial options will be constrained to private cemeteries like Lakeland Memorial Gardens. (LkldNow)

Community

Get ready to scream for ice cream — the Publix Ice Cream Truck is coming to town. Stop by Common Ground Park on Saturday, June 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to grab a free scoop of a classic or limited-edition flavor. Consider our calendars marked.

Arts

A new exhibit is coming to the Florida Children’s Museum this weekend. “Leonardo’s Lab” will take over the museum’s Black Box Theatre through Sept. 1, allowing kids to engage with the work of Leonardo da Vinci. The exhibit will be included with general admission + membership.

Try This

Pinch, slab, coil, and glaze. No, it’s not the start of a spell — it’s what you’ll learn in Marvelous Mud Pottery Studio’s Dig Deep class this June. Only two spots remain for the four-week course, so register now.

Featured

Lakeland florist Bloom Shakalaka was recently named one of the Best Up-and-Coming Wedding Florists in the US by Loverly. More than 40,000 businesses were nominated for the list across 12 categories. See the full list.

Plan Ahead

Don’t stop them now. Mark your calendars to join cover band Blankets for an evening of music on July 19 at Union Hall. The band will treat concertgoers to a mix of both modern + throwback hits from artists such as Queen, Britney Spears, Diana Ross, and Prince.

Finance

Need a new couch thanks to your dogs? Had an unexpected spring cleaning injury? Said “drinks on me” too loudly in Revival? These four credit cards offer 0% intro APR for up to 18 months — aka nearly two years of no interest charges for when life piles up.*

Health

Wild Health creates you a personalized 50-page report detailing your ideal nutrition, exercise, and recovery plan — all based off your genetics + biometrics. Get 20% off with code WH20.*

Eat

🧀 Don’t worry, brie happy

What we tried at Sabrina’s Delicacies, Lakeland’s newest spot for charcuterie

Two small plates containing ricotta dip and burrata are shown, along with a basket of toasted bread.

Every item we tried off Sabrina’s menu had us doing a happy dance. | Photo by LALtoday

We recently popped by Sabrina’s Delicacies’ long-awaited storefront at 4610 Cleveland Heights Blvd., Ste. 1. — spoiler alert: It was everything we hoped for and more. Here’s the scoop on what you need to know before you go + what menu items can’t be missed.

What to expect

The storefront offers perfectly packaged grab + go charcuterie boxes, as well as a variety of freshly prepared small plates. Each small plate option offers different levels of customization so you can make your ideal assortment — prices range depending on the item. In addition to food + drinks, the storefront also has wearable merch for sale.

What we tried:

Amelia tried the ricotta dip with sundried tomato, balsamic glaze, and toasted bread. Connor opted for the burrata plate, which she customized with toasted bread, mixed fruit, arugula, and prosciutto — for a drink, she tried the handcrafted watermelon lemonade.

Drooling yet?

Read the rest of our review

The Buy

Drunk Girl Art Prints. Celebrate National Wine Day with a new piece of wall art for your bar cart.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Amelia

From the editor

Y’all, I cannot overstate how incredible our experience at Sabrina’s Delicacies was. The ricotta dip truly lives in my head rent-free now. If you stop by, make sure to tell them LALtoday sent you.

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