Leading a rush of new restaurants planned for the downtown Lake Wales Historic District, Downtown Pizza and Sports Bar is expected to open this month in a spacious suite of rooms on Stuart Avenue.
The new restaurant is relocating from a much smaller space in Dundee that owner Kevin Rodriguez said was preventing him from serving the larger groups that frequented his establishment. The new space will seat over 120, allowing him to add a full bar to his operation.
Rodriquez and his wife Janay had operated in Dundee since 2018, growing from a tiny two-table space to a 20-seat space, but were still constrained from the growth they sought. He moved to the area from south Florida 20 years ago as a nine-year-old, and the couple are relocating their home and their two children from Dundee to Lake Wales as well.
The downtown commercial business is seeing marked new interest following the initiation of a major streetscape project by the Community Redevelopment Agency. Completed portions of Park Avenue and First Street now offer shady, pedestrian friendly spaces and room for outdoor dining. Work has just begun on upgrades to Stuart Avenue, and a more extensive project is planned to begin soon on Orange and Crystal Avenues, The redevelopment of the Walesbilt Hotel into a 104-room Marriott, currently in the design phase, is expected to further spur the downtown economic environment.