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Lake City News

Lake City Downtown: New Restaurant On The Way


Drawing of the Marion Avenue side of the new restaurant deli/pub soon to be downtown.

LAKE CITY, FL – Last night at the Lake City Community Redevelopment Advisory Committee (CRAC), local business owner and city resident, Ron Robbins, came before the committee seeking approval for a $65,100 façade improvement grant to improve two main street buildings which he is renovating and turning into a restaurant. The total façade renovation is estimated to cost $86,800. The City Community Redevelopment Authority, which is the City Council, will have to waive the $5,000 maximum storefront/business contribution for this project, which is located in the downtown and expected to employ 16 to 20 people working two shifts.


Mr. Robbins, a Lake City resident, is making a substantial commitment to the downtown.

Mr. Robbins explained to the Committee that he plans to have outdoor seating for up to forty.

He told the Committee, "We have uncovered a lot of old neat stuff. We are keeping everything original. We took all the old plaster off and went back to the original brick. We are going back to the original 13 foot tin ceilings. It's amazing what we have found in that building."

Mr. Robbins said, "Every bustling downtown I've been to has this and we don't have this. It will draw people downtown. It should be pretty spectacular."


Click to see Mr. Robins plan in his own words.

The two vacant storefronts on Marion Avenue were bought at the fire-sale price of $144,000 for the two.

Mr. Robbins expects to open in March or April and will serve lunch and dinner, with breakfast still up in the air. Presently, it is expected that the restaurant will be open Monday through Saturday. Mr. Robbins said Sunday brunch is a possibility.

The restaurant will include a deli and have a full blown kitchen and pizza ovens.They will serve beer and wine and there may be blues and jazz one or two days a week.

The members of the CRAC thought Mr. Robbin's project was a "great project."

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