Hey friends, Kaylee here. 👋 Since relocating for college several years ago, I’ve been proud to call Lakeland home. Even after moving back last year (from a 2-year stint in Southwest Virginia), the palm trees beckoned my return and I haven’t regretted my return for a single second.

As any local (or transplant, in my case) can attest, there’s been a lot of change in Lakeland over the years. When I was in college, farmers market vendors only lined one street (including the Poor Porker), the coffee shop count was much lower, and there wasn’t as much development in Midtown or Dixieland. (Hey there, new murals.)

And while the new and mainstay restaurants, breweries + shops make our city what it is today, it’s fun to look back on memories of earlier (or what some would say simpler) things that only a Lakelander can identify with.

So, in honor of the New Year, we asked you to complete this sentence: You know you’re from Lakeland if…

Over 80 of you responded on Facebook, Instagram, Reddit + email – and many of you listed your favorite things from earlier times in the city and things fellow Lakelanders can call #relatable.

⏪ “You remember Blinky” - @emnoel

⏪ “If you had a Publix sub for lunch.” - @southfl_power

⏪ “You took homecoming/prom photos at Hollis Gardens or Lake Mirror. Also, Lakeside Village was where you spent a majority of your middle school social life” - @vanessamaev

⏪ “Kathleen, Lakeland rivalry.” - @gwill80

⏪ “You run into 5 or more friends at Publix while out for errands.” - @bumpgalleta

⏪ “You claim Detroit Tigers as your home team.” - @disneysbf

⏪ “You complain if you have to drive 10 minutes to get anywhere.” - @rachelvplating

⏪ “Lakeland Christmas Parade 🎄 Kiwanis Pancake Festival 🥞 Pig Fest! 🐷.You may have also grown up boating on Scott Lake before it was a sink hole and watched new movies at AMC in Merchants Walk (now Hobby Lobby). 🍿 ” - @aubreighkennedy

⏪ “You’re out right now putting up your chairs for the 2019 Christmas parade.” - @breanna.gardner

⏪ “Your New Years resolution includes running Lake Hollingsworth.” - @katharine_jonsson

⏪ “Playing video games in the arcade at the old Lakeland mall (now First Baptist at the Mall)” - @nealdyer

⏪ “The Southgate Publix is the social event of your day.” - @twentysevenlkld

⏪ “You got engaged on a walk around a lake.” - @cddelabastide

⏪ “You remember when 98N and Socrum Loop Road were two lane roads and S Florida Ave south of Edgewood was two lanes to Mulberry; when the Highlands was orange groves and not subdivisions; when Lakeland had its own Coca-Cola factory; when the county name was pronounced "Polk" and not "poke".” - Ann C.R.

⏪ “If you remember going to Evolution Records back in the day when they were in downtown 🙌🏼” - @danielllearnold

⏪ “You thought every town had a giant cake water tower. ” - Jason C.

⏪ “Skate World was your second home.” - @billieskates

⏪ “If you remember getting dropped off at Merchant’s Walk in your Jncos after dinner at Morrison’s and some shopping at Body Shop in the mall 🤣🤣🤣” - @mega_bop

⏪ “You don’t pronounce it Lake Land” - @frank.diamond

⏪ “If you shopped at Fox & Hound downtown and referred to Lakeland Square Mall as “The New Mall”. @joekir10

⏪ “If you went to the belfry on a friday night.” @benny_vicious

⏪ “The Juice Bowl cans. And, the Piper Aircraft factory on Pipkin Rd.” - Bobby S.

⏪ “You remember the very first Crispers at Merchants Walk (near where Honey baked Ham is now)” - @amy_game

⏪ “You saw Yes, Bob Dylan and The Kinks at the Lakeland Civic Center for $8.50 a ticket.” - @acampbel2

⏪ “You attended Kiddy Kollege and Child's Garden of Learning!” - Ben H.M.

⏪ “You used to have family dinner at Foxfire.” - @eataduck

⏪ “You’ve eaten at Fat Jacks. 😀” - @lindquistlife

⏪ “You had your first date with your hubby at the AMC movie theatre, which is now Hobby Lobby!” - @taylormadefloraldesign

⏪ “You remember lock-ins at Skate Odyssey (currently Seth McKeel Academy) and going to the movies at Lakeland Mall Twin Cinema (currently Church at the Mall).” - @tkugabrown

⏪ “You went to Morrison’s on Munn Park after church.” - @jedwardsaicp

⏪ “You’re familiar with the swan statues.” - @mlgfit111

⏪ “If going to the north side mall to do Christmas shopping was a big deal.” - @theaterpuppy

⏪ “You buy your groceries at "your" Publix.” - @itsnotatuba

⏪ “You ate oranges from your neighbor's trees. You played in the snow in January of 1977. You remember a gator named Blinkie…” - @floridagirlnative

⏪ “The Drive-In movie theater on South Fl Ave waaaaaaay back in the day - in the 70s 👍🏼👍🏼” - @flowerprincess62575

⏪ “Lunch at Maas(?) Brothers, buying shoes from the buster brown store, eating grilled cheese at the lunch counter at Woolworths.” - @mriggar

⏪ “You used to go to Lillian’s downtown.” - @jessjoy727

⏪ “There’s another bbq joint going in and everyone loses their mind.” - @jcweiland79

⏪ “If you remember the fox and the hound!” - Melissa W.

⏪ “If you've been to Muggs and movies!” - @cmini1

⏪ "If you ever had a birthday party at Dipper Dans or eaten a meal @ Strollos.” - @rosenau7070

⏪ “You shopped at Ruby’s Tots & Teens, Special Touch or The Place.” @susbieds

Change is pretty much constant in our little Central Florida town, but looking back on the memories can help us appreciate where we came from – and where we’re headed next.

Whether you were born here or you’ve just lived here for a while, chances are you’ve seen something you love come – and perhaps go. Let us know by replying to this email, or tell us over on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. I’ll just be over here looking through these old photo albums, reminiscing, and ugly crying.

– Kaylee

via GIPHY