Well, well, well. Lakeland, you have really outdone yourselves.

A little over a month ago, we asked you to share your favorite service providers (dentists, mechanics, landscapers, etc.) for anyone who might be new in town — which these days, is quite a few folks. And y’all delivered.

We received 230+ responses, and we want to share the top recommendation for each category. (You can also view all the recommendations for each category on our website). Thank you again for all your participation.

Disclaimer: This was our first time ever conducting a crowdsourcing initiative like this, so if you have any feedback for the future, please let us know. These recommendations do not necessarily reflect the views of LALtoday or 6AMCity and were gathered via audience participation. LALtoday did not place any restrictions on participation (i.e. some businesses might have offered discounts or deals to clients who submitted recommendations). Finally, for categories that have more than one top recommendation, we were unable to select a clear winner based on the entries we received.

Hair salons + Barber Shops

Belle La Vie | 4525 Florida Ave. S. #16
Lakeland Barber Company | 4243 Florida Ave. S. | “[The] best men’s cuts.” — Steven

Dentist

Midtown Dental | 607 S. Missouri Ave. | “They have hours that accommodate people with inflexible work schedules. They are professional, helpful, caring, and do so many things to give their customers a good experience.” — Marcella

Gym

The Balance Culture | 1035 Florida Ave. S. #200 | “BC creates an empowering and encouraging community of women who all have different levels of fitness experience but all share the same goal: to do their best. Women of all ages, fitness levels, and experience levels should absolutely come to try this studio for pilates, barre, spin, or yoga class! Plus, your first class is free!” — Rebekah

Nail Tech

Happy Nails | 5028 Lunn Rd. | “With your pedicure comes massage, hot wax, and hot stones. Make an appointment for less wait time.” — Mary Beth
Lauren Nailed It! LLC. | 1224 Florida Ave. S. | “She is the BEST! My nails were so brittle and damaged from years of Dip and Acrylics. Lauren uses soft gel and a structured Russian manicure to build up and heal your natural nails. My nails have never been healthier, PLUS she does the best nail art in the world.” — Rilee
Lee Spa Nails | 1609 Town Center Dr. h106 | “I’ve never received better care from anyone. Christina is always sweet and outgoing and always takes the best care.” — Merri
Nails by Freida | 1030 S. Buena Vista Dr. | “Freida is an expert with any type of nail you desire. She gives you the perfect shape for your fingers and hands. Her nails will last a very long time.” — Suzi
Noire the Nail Bar | 4620 Florida Ave. S. #110
Tammi’s Super Nails | 3800 US-98 #794

Esthetician

Body Allures | 328 S Indiana Ave. | “Brittany is very knowledgeable about skincare. She takes great pride in educating her clients about their skincare regimens and the best products for them to use. My skin is always glowing and I feel totally relaxed after my facial!” — Debora
Bliss Health Spa | 625 Commerce Dr. Ste. 206
Belle La Vie Salon & Spa | 4525 Florida Ave. S. # 16
Viva Vitality Lakeland MedSpa | 1035 Florida Ave. S. #208

Spray Tan

Method Tans | 801 Florida Ave. S. | “I am super pale, and Jess did an amazing job of giving me a natural-looking, non-orange glow for my wedding dress shopping day! Now I'm addicted.” — Rilee

Massage

Essentials Massage | 6595 Florida Ave. S. Ste. 16 | “The facility is clean, employees are very friendly, and the massage is absolutely wonderful.” — Jessica
Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa | 4750 Florida Ave. S. | “It’s very professional, clean, and the staff is friendly. The massage therapists there are good!” — Cheryl
Lakeland Medical Massage | 215 Imperial Blvd. Ste. B1 | “The best deep tissue massage in Lakeland! Hands down!” — Donna
3RE Massage Therapy & Bodywork | 2609 Orleans Ave. | “Best ever — deep tissue is amazing. Liz has a great room, a private, relaxing - best massage therapist in Lakeland.” — Nan
Pure Vie Holistic | 229 N. Kentucky Ave.

General Practitioner

Trinity Medical Group | 3240 Florida Ave. S. #105

Pediatrician

Lakeside Pediatrics | 5950 Florida Ave. S. | “So helpful and open when it comes to how we raise our healthy baby!” — Kelsey
Happy Kidz Pediatrics | 4304 Highland Park Blvd.
Watson Clinic North Pediatrics | 1430 Lakeland Hills Blvd.

OB-GYN

Dr. Hahn | 3030 Harden Blvd. | “So patient & understanding.” — Jennifer
Jennifer Nixon | 1733 Lakeland Hills Blvd.

Chiropractor

Coyle Chiropractic | 1131 Bartow Rd. | “Wonderful staff, always a great adjustment and massages.” — Debbie
Charles Munday | 6645 N. Socrum Loop Rd. | “Dr. Munday has a wonderful staff including himself and massage therapists. He's a great listener and will diagnose and help in such areas as spinal alignment, migraine headaches, etc. He's been in practice for about 20 years, I think.” — Patricia
Lakeland Spine Center | 3242 Florida Ave. S.
Love Chiropractic Center | 5227 US Hwy. 98 S.

Optometrist

Hubbell Eye Clinic | 924 Florida Ave. S. | “The staff are genuinely kind and helpful. They are highly organized. I have always been pleased with their customer service and the quality of the prescription, contacts, and glasses.” — Sara

Dermatologist

Dermatology Associates | 3670 Innovation Dr. | “He is an outstanding dermatologist. He listens well and quickly takes actions to remove any skin cancers before there are issues…”
Dr. Catherine B Marcum | 1033 N. Parkway Frontage Rd. | “She is detailed, observant, cautious and explains what and why she is doing whatever she does.” — Michael
Dr. Pamela E. Sakalosky | 1755 N. Florida Ave. | “She listens to what you are saying and treats as needed. Super kind and gentle and she explains along the way what is happening at that moment. A pleasure to be around and she is great at her work.” — Suzi
Dr. Amy V. Prakash | 1755 N. Florida Ave.

Pet Daycare, Boarding, and Vet

Four Paws Only | 2215 E. Edgewood Dr.
My Pets Animal Hospital | 2225 Drane Field Rd. | “They go above and beyond normal service to treat your pets like their own family.” — Deb
All Creatures Animal Clinic | 1019 W. Pipkin Rd. | “Dr. Latter at All Creatures has been taking care of our dogs since 1987. Wonderful vet.” — Judi

Pet Groomer

Copper Tail Grooming Co. | 2302 E Edgewood Dr. | “Excellent job, kind and loving.” — Debbie
Doggie Divas Grooming Salon | 1633 Shepherd Rd. | “We have big dogs...it is so difficult to find a place that grooms big dogs AND that my dogs feel comfortable with. Great work and prices!” — Kimberly
Lakeland Pet Salon, LLC. | 115 E Alamo Dr. | “They are a family-owned business. They care about their work and it shows. If you are looking for the BEST groomers in town, treat your pet to them.” — Rodney
Petco | 4139 US Hwy. 98 N. | “Emily grooms my Afghan and it is never a struggle to get my dog to go back behind the gate into the grooming area.” — Towana
Tangled Tails Pet Spa |“Sheena is very talented and LOVES your pet as much as you do. However, they are no longer located on S. Florida Ave. and have relocated near Lakeland Linder Airport.” — Michael
The Fur Pawlor LLC. | 1502 Elgin St. | “This is a small operation that grooms one pet at a time. Sumyer, the groomer, is great with our dog.” — Marcus

Pet Trainer

Training with Hart | 863-825-5155 | “I can’t say enough about Candy. In-home dog training. She has a unique approach to training that works.” — Bev
Das Hund Haus Inc. | 3210 Reynolds Rd. | “We love Das Hund Haus! They have an array of training programs for your pup. The trainers really take their time and show how much they care for your pup. They also offer daycare and boarding.” — Rebekah
Dogsense Obedience Inc. | 2910 Drane Field Rd. | “We took our puppy there for training and the staff was wonderful. Our puppy loved attending and we were all happier for it. They are very helpful and patient.” — Kristen
John K9 Dog Training | 2302 E Edgewood Dr.

Landscaping + Yard Care

Plumber

Roofing

Musick Roofing | 2500 Drane Field Rd. Ste. 103 | Mike and his crew did our roof last year just before Covid shut down. They did an awesome job. Great to work with. — Cheryl
Ring Roofing Inc. | 1329 E Main St. | “Top in quality and Customer Service. Gives back to the community.”

Electrician

Atline Electric Services | 3401 Youngs Ridge Rd.
Wilson Electric Company | 230 N. Ingraham Ave.

Moving Company

Two Men and a Truck | 3220 Atlantic Ave. | “They've moved us several times.” — Judi

Tailors + Seamstresses

Alterations to Go | 821 N. Lake Parker Ave. | “Helen is the bomb. She is a funny, wise woman and does the BEST alteration work.” — Rebekah

Shoe Repair

McFarland’s Shoe Repair | 5355 Florida Ave. S.

Personal Trainer

Esporta Fitness | 833 Lakeland Park Center Dr.
Restoration Fitness & Nutrition | 2025 Bartow Rd. | “The gym is small but mighty. The clientele is a mixed group who are serious about their fitness but take time to interact with their gym mates, making it fun and rewarding for everyone. The owners, Matt and Cissie, provide both fitness and nutrition services and do it well. I think I speak for all who are members there when I say the results of our workouts are outstanding.” — Tammy

Therapist

Norma J. Vaillette MA LMHC | 215 E. Oak St.
Porter’s Sound Counseling | 50 Lake Morton Dr. |

Immigration

Foley Immigration Law | 1526 Commercial Park Dr. Ste. 3

Mechanic

Gerald’s Automotive | 122 S. Eastside Dr.

Job Placement

Diversified Sourcing Solutions | 122 E. Main St. #201 | “When it comes to finding you a job, they actually listen and care enough to ensure that the job and you are the RIGHT FIT. You aren't just a number to them.” — Jessica

Daycare + Babysitter

Precious Children in the Highlands Preschool | 1010 Lake Miriam Dr.

Question

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