Hello Thursday.
April 18 2024
While we don’t have an official rainbow row in Swan City, we do have plenty of colorful buildings. Join us for a brief tour of some of Lakeland’s best + brightest.
Clonts Building, 228 E. Pine St. | Photo via the LALtoday team
The Clonts Building
You’re looking at one of Lakeland’s first retail spaces, built in 1903. The iconic building, known for its signature tower, has been home to a variety of businesses over nearly 120 years.
Pilot Bank Center
This building, built in 2007, is a 3-story, 30,000-sqft office building on South Florida Avenue. Its bright pink + red exterior gives Lakelanders traveling into Dixieland their first glimpse of many colorful buildings.
NOBAY
NOBAY, a more recent build, houses residential + commercial spaces. Known for its industrial look and signature orange pops of color, it has become a focal point downtown.
Ruthven Building, 41 Lake Morton Dr. | Photo via the LALtoday team
The Ruthven Building
Originally built for $15,000 in 1913 as the “Colonial Apartments,” this building was the first apartment building in Lakeland. It would later become a Florida Southern College dormitory, then a hotel known as “The Lakeshore Hotel.” Now, it’s a collection of private offices.
Fun fact: if we made a “rainbow row” prior to the building’s remodel, it would’ve been an example of a coral structure.
Tax Collector Building
This iconic building, known for its Art Deco facade and neon lights, was built in 1953 as a Publix supermarket. Later on, the Straughn-Trout architecture firm aided the Tax Collector’s Office in raising $1.8 million in construction funding from county + city funds to give the building new life, reminiscent of its former glory.
La Imperial Bakery
Built in 1958, La Imperial Bakery is a breakfast + lunch staple. The scratch kitchen boasts “comfort food with a Puerto Rican twist” and is most well known for its pastries and sandwiches.
Did we miss one of your favorite colorful buildings? Tell us about it.
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What year did the Publix Supermarket in the Tax Collector building close?
Today
- Catapult Launch Pitch Night | Thurs., Oct. 21 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Catapult, 502 E. Main St. | Free | Watch entrepreneurs pitch to a panel of judges with a chance to win micro-grants of up to $10,000 that will take their Lakeland-based business to the next level.
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Thurs., Oct. 21 | 7:30-10 p.m. | Lakeland Community Theater | $15 | The story follows 15-year-old Christopher as he tries to solve the mystery of who killed his neighbor’s dog and clear his own name. 🎭
Friday
- Canned Tuna Concert | Fri., Oct. 22 | 6-8 p.m. | Munn Park | Free | Come out to see musical artist Dan Signor Project in Munn Park — don’t forget to bring a non-perishable food item as a donation. 🥫
Saturday
- National Prescription Drug Take Back Day | Sat., Oct. 23 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Locations vary | Free | Dispose of any unused and unneeded medications by taking them to the Lakeland Police Department or one of the other listed locations for nearby cities. 💊
Sunday
Monday
- Trivia Night | Mon., Oct. 25 | 7:30 p.m. | Cob & Pen | Free | Bring your team of up to 8 players to Trivia night + enjoy happy hour prices all day.
Tuesday
- Creepy Crawly Fall Festival | Tues., Oct. 26 | 6-8 p.m. | Camp Fire Sunshine, 2600 Buckingham Ave. | $5+ | Bring your family for a night of crafts, games + costume contest — pre-register for your child to take home a goodie bag. 🍬
Wednesday
- Plant for Pollinators! | Wed., Oct. 27 | 1-2 p.m. | Bok Tower Gardens | $16 | An in-person class with tips on planting your garden to support pollinators — class is included with general admission. 🪴
Thursday
- Mr. Central Florida 2021 | Thurs., Oct. 28 | 5:30-9 p.m. | CMX Cinemas Lakeside 1650 Town Center Dr. | $25+ | Support your favorite Mr. Central Florida contestant with entertainment, food + drinks — proceeds support the Central Florida Speech and Hearing Center.
We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
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Weather
- 89º | Partly cloudy | 10% chance of rain
Development
- The Lakeland Planning and Zoning board approved 3 changes to the existing zoning laws on roughly 21 acres of land at the intersection of Airport Road + Polk Parkway. In addition to reducing the capacity for commercial development, the changes also increased land dedicated to conservation. Read about the changes here. (The Ledger)
Ranked
- 12. That’s what Lakeland ranked out of 228 on Niche’s 2021 list of “Best Cities to Retire in America.” The ranking considered 16 factors, including “retiree newcomers,” “cost of living grade,” and “access to doctors.” 🌴
Community
- Harrells LLC is the team to beat in next year's annual Swan Derby after winning grand champion last week for the fourth year. Top Buttons won the Maiden Handicap race and Publix Supermarkets won the Derby Dash race. 🦢 (The Daily Ridge)
Watch
- Journalist Elizabeth Fry got to ride along with the Swanfather, Steve Platt, onTuesday at the swan roundup as he caught some of Lake Morton’s royal residents. You can watch her interview with Steve and see him catch a swan here. 🚤 (Fox 13 News)
Edu
- Southeastern University received funding from the Teagle Foundation for its project “Third Way Civics.” The program provides “content-rich historical + civic learning” for undergraduate learners to reinvigorate civics instruction. The course will be taught by former US Congressman Dennis Ross, current director of SEU’s American Center for Political Leadership.
Feel Good
- Local business Bella Viságe has offered free tattoo removal for US military recruits over the last several years, as tattoos in certain areas are banned in the military. On Monday, Bella Viságe was visited by U.S. Army recruiters and presented with a plaque as a “thank you” for the work they do. 🎖
Cause
- Gospel Inc., the nonprofit behind Gospel Village, is asking for food donations for its community pantry. Needed donations include onions, milk, cheese, meats, and Gatorade. If you’d like to donate, stop by 1120 E. Lemon St. and message the nonprofit on Instagram.
Eat
- The Terrace Grille’s seasonal menu starts Monday. The new menu is reportedly focused around quality proteins sourced from sustainable, free-range farms that are antibiotic + hormone free. Want a sneak peek? Check out the new menu’s Beef Tenderloin Tartare. 🥩
Film
- If you’re one of the many readers who asked us if “The People Who Live There” would be hitting the silver screen again, you’re in luck. The Lakeland-made documentary is playing once more at Polk Theatre on Thurs., Nov. 11 at 6:30 p.m. Get your tickets here. 📽️
Sports
- The Lakeland Magic is taking on the College Park Seahawks in a ‘90s themed showdown on Sat., Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. The first 1,000 fans in the door will get a free Lakeland Magic t-shirt + koozie, and the team will be decked out in a special vintage jersey. Tickets are on sale as of today, email them for more information. 🏀
Shop
- Dissent Brewing is now open, and they’ve launched some spooky-season merchandise just in time for Halloween. Grab a festive shirt for $20 or come by for a beer from 3-10 p.m. 🍻
Number
- Is there anything better than free money? When you create an account with MIDFLORIDA Credit Union and deposit $500, they’ll deposit $200 more into your account… just because. Get all the deets here. 💸 Ⓟ
You’ve done the pumpkin spiced lattes, the pumpkin cocktails, and the pumpkin baked goods, but have you had Frescos’ new pumpkin shake?
The festive blended treat is both Instagram-worthy and customizable — you can make it a “drunken punkin’” by adding in a shot of Captain Morgan.
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Thanksgiving just over a month away, and we’ve got pie on the brain. Let us know your favorite place to buy a pie in Lakeland here. If your favorite pie is homemade, drop us the recipe here. 🥧
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