LAKELAND, Fla. — Lakeland Linder International Airport has been busier than ever since Avelo Airlines began offering commercial flights six months ago.
On the day before Christmas Eve, Randy Eddy and his wife were headed to Rochester, New York.
“The pricing was pretty decent and the fact that I booked the flight yesterday for today was very convenient,” said Randy Eddy.
Still, there is something missing from the airport, and that’s a dining option.
Waco Kitchen, the airport's restaurant, suddenly shut down just weeks before commercial flights started.
“They let go of all their staff on Sunday and pretty much abandoned the restaurant from that point forward,” said airport director Kris Hallstrand.
It won't be much longer until passengers will have a new place to eat. Sora, which means “sky” in Japanese, just signed a five-year lease to open a food hall concept.
“We provide Asian food from different countries. We're heavily into the Japanese cuisine, but we also have Korean, Filipino, and some other Asian dishes. At the same time, we’re doing typical American dishes,” said Kenneth Hosfeld, Sora Eatery Co-Owner.
Sora’s owners are local entrepreneurs who both started at Catapult, Lakeland's business incubator. City leaders turned to Catapult after having difficulty filling the vacant restaurant space.
“Being partnered with these folks is incredible. You don't get more buy-in than when you have somebody local,” Hallstrand said.
The owners said Sora represents more than just a restaurant but Lakeland's growth.
“New food items and recipes that you might not see in Orlando or Tampa that inspire you to make that trip to come visit us,” said Ben Paniagua, Sora Eatery Co-Owner.
A soft opening is planned for Feb. 15, 2025.
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