You’ll soon be able to grab a new read across the street from Hillcrest Coffee on Missouri Avenue.
Photo via LALtoday
New locations, new names, same businesses that we know and love. If you consider yourself a professional local shopper, check out a few Lakeland businesses making big changes this summer.
Junely | 1216 S. Florida Ave.
After years of basking in the scent of fresh-baked Jimmy John’s bread, this vintage shop is stepping into new digs across from Cob & Pen. Formerly known as June Taylor, the new shop’s name pays homage to its owners, Bill + Kelly Riley.
Inklings Book Shoppe | 737 S. Missouri Ave.
Readers briefly browsed the shelves of this new-and-used bookstore at 243 N. Florida Ave., but the next chapter is set in Dixieland. The storefront known for book release parties and participation in Lakeland’s annual Book Crawl hasn’t opened its doors yet, but you can shop online.
Southside Barbell | 4226 Old Road 37
When this gym relocated to a new spot behind The Juice Box, there was more than a new mailing address in mind. The biz partnered with Sculpted Swan Fitness + South Lakeland Cryo to bring a new wellness utopia to the southside.
Events
Events
Monday, July 21
Monday Fun Day: Theme Parks | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Larry R. Jackson Branch Library | Free | Park hop to the library for kids’ crafts + theme park character meet and greets.
Kid Craft Day | 2-3 p.m. | Kitty Cat Lounge | $15+ | Littles can express themselves by building a cat craft and cuddling with kitties in the lounge.
Wednesday, July 23
Penelope Bourbon Tasting | 6-7:30 p.m. | The Terrace Grille | $40 | Head up to the Mezzanine to taste five bottles of bourbon and mingle over hors d’oeuvres.
Thursday, July 24
Teacher Night | 6-8 p.m. | Bonnet Springs Park | Free | Teachers can mingle with the BSP Education team over light refreshments and learn about field trips.
Friday, July 25
Disney’s “High School Musical” | Friday, July 25-Sunday, July 27 | Times vary | Harrison School for the Arts | $22 | Getcha head in the game for this musical performance by With Love Productions.
Saturday, July 26
Lakeland Vintage Market | 12-5 p.m. | Munn Park | Price of purchase | It’s the first edition of this market featuring vintage finds, handmade jewelry, custom clothing, and local art.
Pacaso plans to expand to Italy. | Photo provided by Pacaso
How do you follow a record-setting year? By getting stronger.
Take Pacaso. Their real estate co-ownership tech set records in Paris and London in 2024. No surprise. Coldwell Banker says 40% of wealthy Americans plan to buy abroad within a year, so Pacaso’s planned Italy expansion is big.
They’ve already made $110 million+ in gross profits to date, including 41% YoY growth last year. (They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.) And you can invest for $2.90/share. †‡
Polk County Live, a local radio show formerly known as “Mayhem in the a.m.,” has aired its final broadcast. Listeners will now hear a national program, “America in the Morning,” when they tune into WKLF. (LkldNow)
Eat
It’s Burger Week, Lakeland. More than 50 local eateries, including LoveBird Almost Famous Chicken, Terrace Grille, and The Purple Onion, are dishing up specially-priced or new-to-the-menu burgers through Sunday, July 27. (WFLA)
Arts
Florida Dance Theatre has ceased operations after 30+ years of dance, citing a loss of previously procured arts and cultural grant funding. Lakelanders will remember its summer camps, tours, and the annual December production of “The Nutcracker” in downtown’s iconic Polk Theatre. (The Ledger)
Coming Soon
Watch this space. Legoland Florida will add Legoland Spaceport 885 in early 2026, featuring an indoor roller coaster and interactive queue. While we wait for it to open, check out the park’s latest addition, the SEA LIFE Florida aquarium. (The Ledger)
Lakelander
“Hamilton” asked fans to submit Playbill designs in celebration of its 10 years on Broadway, and Lakeland Community Theatre graphic artist Kelsey Reynolds is one of 10 finalists. When it comes to the winner, we’ll have to wait for it — first place will be announced Aug. 1.
Biz
In 1998, the most common job in our state was a retail salesperson, according to a recent study. Nowadays, the most common job is… a retail salesperson. Must be because Lakeland’s small business scene is so special. (Visual Capitalist)
Travel
We’re skipping the customs line this summer — Florida has its own European vibes just waiting for us. Take a ~3.5-hour drive to visit St. Augustine for the charm of coastal Spain, or a ~2-hour drive to Tarpon Springs — a destination with influences from the largest population of Greek-Americans in the US. (USA Today)
Real Estate
Get ready for new neighbors, Lakeland is growing. The area ranked No. 7 on Construction Coverage’s list of mid-sized metro areas building the most homes. The study determined that the region is adding 28.5 new housing units for every 1,000 existing homes.
Home
Have a project you’ve been itching to work on? Think: bathroom renovation, upgrading your HVAC system, or maybe a backyard makeover. Wondering how to pay for it? Hint: A HELOC isn’t the only way to access your home’s equity. Enter: Unison.*
Kid Cafe’s mural is like a burst of sunshine on a cloudy day. | Photo by @art_of_kate_hall
When clouds roll in, it doesn’t mean you’re stuck at home. Get the family out of the house with these indoor activities that will keep you dry + entertained.
Picassoz Art Cafe
Stop by this walk-in studio and help your little one create a work of art. The upstairs loft offers clay and mosaic classes for children ages 8+.
Lakeland Ice Arena Is your child the next great ice skater of their generation? Take them to Lakeland’s only real ice rink to learn how to skate.
Kid Cafe
Tiny tots have found their favorite spot. Children up to 5 years old can play in the ball pit or try the kids-only vending machines.
Sky Zone
Take rainy days to new heights at this trampoline park. Memberships include daily jump time + concession discounts.
Florida Air Museum
This museum on the SUN ‘n FUN campus is perfect for young aviation fans. Walk through interactive exhibits, or join events like story times.
Psst. Wondering what everyone bought during this year’s Prime Day? Here are the top most shopped items that The Buy team recommended — and some of them are still on sale:
👀 Slip into a soft pair of high-waisted leggings with NexiEpoch’s light-compression pair.
👀 It’s hard to say no to a two-in-one vacuum and mop roomba from iRobot, especially with features like “Clean While I’m Away.”
👀 Your under-sink storage space gets a lot more functional when you use these pull-out cabinet organizers that can fit around plumbing.
👀 Anker’s magnetic charging station charges devices two times as fast, all while replacing messy cords.
👀 The perfect lipstick doesn’t exi — ope, we nearly forgot about Clinique’s sheer, flattering Almost Lipstick.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
Hey again, Lakeland. 👋 It’s been a while since I’ve been in your inbox, and it’s good to be back.
I can’t think of much I’d rather do than sip a Hillcrest coffee while reading a new-to-me book from across the way. When Inklings opens its new location on Missouri Avenue, you might spot me doing just that — feel free to say hi.
‡This is a paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals. Under Regulation A+, a company has the ability to change its share price by up to 20%, without requalifying the offering with the SEC.
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