This food hall will be worth the drive, with plenty of space to hang out with friends over a good meal. | Photo by LALtoday
Depot 303 will officially open its doors this week at 303 NW 1st Ave. in downtown Mulberry, and we stopped by for an early look at the space. Let’s just say, the indecisive foodies out there are about to have a new comfort spot.
The food hall is a project of the City of Mulberry, who called upon Jonathan Bucklew — owner of The Joinery in Lakeland — to operate the business. The design and sleek indoor + outdoor seating areas will be familiar to Joinery regulars, but with its own flair that is sure to make it stand out in Mulberry.
Tilaw is bringing some new dishes, along with your Pinoy Cravings favorites like pancit + lumpia.
Bottega Porchetta | A new concept coming soon from the chef behind Ichicoro Ramen in Tampa serving Italian beef sandwiches
Vendors learned the ropes at the soft opening — we tried bites from Pizza Odyssey + Tilaw.
Photo by LALtoday
Depot 303 held a soft opening this past weekend with limited menus from a few vendors — now that you’ve gotten a taste, come back for the grand opening on Friday, April 11 at 11 a.m. Bucklew says closing hours are still TBD depending on what the community wants, but you can count on Depot 303 opening every day at 11 a.m.
Pro tip: You may not see the location listed on your GPS app yet, so type in the address for directions and find a parking spot on the street.
Asked
Asked
How far will you travel for good food?
A. My backyard — I prefer to eat at home B. Within city limits — I’m a Lakeland loyalist C. An hour — as long as I don’t have to refill my tank D. Around the world — I’m a foodie adventurer
Open Mic Night | 6-9 p.m. | Gram Parsons Derry Down, Winter Haven | Free | Take the stage at this historic music venue to sing up to three acoustic songs.
Spring Choral Concert | 7 p.m. | First Presbyterian Church of Lakeland | Free | Southeastern University School of Music students will wow you with fresh vocal arrangements fit for the season.
Tuesday, April 8
Seasons of Service | 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Bonnet Springs Park Event Center | $80 | Sheriff Grady Judd, Public Defender Blair Allen, and SEU Professor Ken Stephens will speak about community service on an uplifting panel.
Lakeland Flying Tigers vs. St. Lucie Mets | 6:30 p.m. | Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium | $10+ | It’s the home opener for Lakeland’s Minor League Baseball team — catch them playing the Mets all week long.
Wednesday, April 9
“The Rise of the Highwaymen” Tours | 1-2 p.m. | The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art | Free | A museum docent will teach you about the lives of Harold Newton and Alfred Hair as you view their work in a new exhibition.
Thursday, April 10
Paint Your Pet Under the Stars | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | The Green House | $50 | Join artist Jin Williams to paint a portrait of your furry friend outdoors.
How is it already 90º in April? Cool off with a dip in the Fontaine Gills Family YMCA’s outdoor pool, which is now open daily for the season. That’s not the only place to practice your swan dive — strap on your floaties and visit these other public pools.
Mansion Monday
If you’re counting down until next year’s SUN ‘n FUN Expo, consider moving closer to the airfield. This 3,189-sqft home off of Ewell Road is a short drive to the campus — but with a screened-in pool like this, you might find yourself watching the planes from your own backyard.
Civic
The deadline to apply for the Elevate Florida statewide residential mitigation program is this Friday, April 11. The City of Lakeland encourages property owners to apply for this state program, which aims to cover part of the cost of natural disaster mitigation projects like structure elevation and demolition.
Real Estate
Winter Haven might be the city to watch if you’re looking for a deal on a home. According to data from Realtor.com, it’s one of three Florida cities with a 70% chance of prices dropping this year as the market adjusts, along with Tampa and West Palm Beach. (Fox 5)
Sports
This Gator is on Fire. Jordan Talley once played for Southeastern University’s basketball team — now, he’s a player development assistant on the Florida Gators’ coaching staff. The team will play the Houston Cougars for the NCAA men’s national championship tonight at 8:50 p.m. Find a local watch party.
Edu
The play’s the thing for two Lakeland high schoolers chosen for Theatre Odyssey’s Student Ten-Minute Playwriting Festival in May. Just eight plays were selected, including Harrison School for the Arts junior Liam Adeney’s “Filing Errors” and Lake Gibson High senior Patricia Rose Brady’s “A Memory Away.”
Calling all business owners and hiring managers — we’re growing our LALtoday Job Board, which means you can post unlimited job listings for free. No tricks or gimmicks — simply create an account and start posting your open jobs.
Florida’s natural wildlife is on display in a mural by Samara Ash, now in progress at the RP Funding Center. It’s another piece in the Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency’s Art Infusion Grant Program, which has brought walls across the city to life.
Gone is the whitewashed facade facing the SpringHill Suites — it’s being replaced with a larger-than-life Florida panther, alligator, otter, and more native flora + fauna.
The Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation sponsored the mural to highlight the state’s biodiversity and conservation efforts. It chose Lakeland for the project due to its key location in the Florida Wildlife Corridor, plus its reputation as a cultural hub for Polk County.
See the new mural when it’s unveiled on Friday, April 18. Ash will present the finished piece at 3 p.m., then guests can head inside the RP Funding Center to meet the artist and see a screening of the short film “The Wild Divide.”
The Buy
The Buy
If you’re eager to give your friends or loved ones a fun, spring-themed gift, why not make them a seasonal basket of goodies? Here’s some inspiration to get you started:
🧺 Start with a sturdy woven basket that they can reuse as a versatile storage solution.
🍊 Add this refreshing room diffuser with notes of green tea, cotton, and orange peel.
🌱 Include “The Complete Gardener’s Guide” so they can learn everything they need to create their perfect garden.
🌷 Throw in this Amazon exclusive set of floral Happy Socks.
🍬 Complete the basket with the best-selling Owala FreeSip in the fun Candy Store colorway.
It will feel weird not writing the newsletter with jets flying overhead this week, but I’m already counting down the days until SUN ‘n FUN 2026. Next year’s event will take place a bit later in the month — April 14-19 — so let’s go ahead and mark our calendars together, ok?
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