On the Lakeland Loft Facebook page it states, we are happy to announce we will be opening a 3rd location. Welcome to Lakeland Island Breeze. It will be located at 201 East Main Street downstairs from Lakeland Loft. A 4200 sq. ft. Caribbean-themed bar will include a fun energetic atmosphere with specialty cocktails and island music. We are in the process of city approval and will keep you all updated. Thank you for all your support. Just got our first approval from Lakeland downtown development.
Owner Solomon Wassef said the Caribbean-themed bar was endorsed today by the board of the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority.
Wassef already owns Lakeland Loft, an upscale cigar and jazz bar on the second floor of the building across from Munn Park at the southeast corner of Main Street and Tennessee Avenue. Island Breeze Tiki Bar would be downstairs in the spot that was occupied for many years by the RP Funding mortgage company and for the last year by the recently closed Dart World Gaming Arena.
Wassef plans to remove the wall fronting Main Street, creating a 25-foot patio with seating — similar to but slightly larger than the entrance patios at Black & Brew Coffee House and Bistro next door and Linksters Tap Room three doors down on Main.
There is no plan to serve food at Island Breeze, so the bar would not qualify for seating on the expanded Main Street sidewalk, as Black & Brew and Nineteen 61 have. The 4,000-square-foot first-floor space he plans to rent at 201 E. Main St. will accommodate under 200 customers, he said.
Wassef has been a downtown presence since 2004, he also operates Hookah Palace on Kentucky.
Wassef needs to obtain the conditional use permit from the city of Lakeland required for any downtown bar. The City Commission is expected to vote on the permit in April.