dedicated to caring for you in an emergency.”

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Joseph T. Clinical Nurse II, ER

a stroke of good fortune a business opportunity showed itself two years ago to Johansi Santana, and as a result she was able to bring Lakeland’s first bodega to the center of downtown directly next to her Divicious Deli & Cafe Shop.

“I already had an idea that if we ever had a place we wanted to open a convenience store downtown,”

Santana says. “And, of course, it was perfect for us that it was right next door to the deli.” bodega Market has been open since February, and business has been booming, with the market already burrowing its roots deep in the community thanks to the convenience and selection of products it offers customers.

“We have great foot traffic,” Santana says. “We’re also providing a need for the people that work downtown. So, for example, you have clients that come, and they shop for their office—things that they’re going to need like oatmeals and crackers and cheeses and things they have it in the office.”

Santana grew up in New York City, where endless Hispanic-owned bodegas are sprinkled throughout the boroughs.

She was inspired by the memories of working at one of her father’s bodegas in New York on 106

Street and Broadway Ave. in Manhattan.

Santana jokes that she’s always been short, so she would have to use a milk crate to peek her head over the countertop behind a plastic shield between the cashier and the customer.

The New York bodega is rustic but eye-catching, with bright colors that distinguish it on a bustling street. They’re part of the neighborhood, where frequent visitors can stop by and grab something quick.

Santana wanted to maintain that same neighborly presence of a bodega. Yet she wanted to change the design and make it distinct for Lakeland while maintaining her father’s memory. As you walk

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Johansisant

in, you are welcomed by various nostalgic Latin products like Goya, as well goods from local distributors.

“You know, I could find a distributor that sells expensive things,” Santana says. “But then the products in here are going to be super expensive, and that’s not what I wanted. I wanted something that people can afford.”

In the corner, under hanging bright light bulbs, is the bodega Market wine cellar, which includes a wide selection of wines at “a happy medium” price range including choices from light and sweet Moscato to rich and limpid white wine.

“The repeated customer already tells us a lot about how happy people are,” Santana says. “We have regulars already for bread, and we have regulars for pastries, and we have regulars for most things. So that’s just amazing feedback to see them coming over.”

Handling Divicious and bodega was challenging at first, but she eventually learned to manage very different businesses. Unlike the bodega, Santana knew everything about cafes and delis to where it was nearly effortless for her to prosper with Divicious; bodega required a larger learning curve.

“So I had a little challenge here and there trying to get distributors, I think, because it’s not the same thing when you get a distributor for your meat and your coffee versus for retail products,” Santana says.

BODEGA MARKET

106 N. TENNESSEE AVE.

OPEN MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY 7AM TO 7PM our o’clock in the morning––ceiling lights illuminate colorful, papel picado banners as Roberto Peralta, Manuel Saladana and their staff prepare their restaurant and marketplace for another day of business. Fresh, handcrafted conchas, empanadas, and other Mexican delights are on the list to be made on site––including tortillas by hand. The panaderos (bakers) start early so every customer coming into Lakeland’s Mega Mercado experiences sweet breads and baked goods the traditional Mexican way.

If you’ve ever heard of—or at least never visited—this quaint yet vibrant hole-in-the-wall,

Mega Mercado encompasses traditional Mexican dining with authenticity and pride. After opening under the leadership of local entrepreneur Don Hector, it has continued to serve the community as a staple for the last 15 years.

Dominican business owner Maria Peralta and her family first purchased the business from Hector almost five years ago. Peralta’s family has worked tirelessly to build a strong clientele for the beloved restaurant and marketplace that was first known to Lakelanders as “La Morenita.”

On the weekends, you’ll find the line out the door as guests wait for their names to be called into the packed and lively restaurant space.

With a deep admiration and affinity for Mexican culture and delicacies, Peralta and her family revived the store by hiring lifelong Mexican bakers and LatinAmerican kitchen staff to bring true cultural flavors and recipes to every dish.

“Mexican cuisine has been our personal favorite over the years, and when we obtained ownership [of Mega Mercado] we knew we wanted to continue the legacy placed before us and committed to making it better,” explains Roberto. Beyond the delicious enchiladas, tacos, mariscos and agua frescas, this nostalgic space offers visitors a true taste of Mexican culture. While the family owns several businesses in the Swan City community, Mega Mercado holds a special place in their heart as evidenced by the hard work and attention to details that is their standard.

“We pride ourselves in the quality we bring to the table,” shares Roberto, who serves as his mother’s eyes and ears for the business. “Every dish brings a different aspect of Mexican culture that pays homage to the restaurant’s roots.”

When it comes to the why behind the business’s longevity, Roberto admits the natural diversity of Mexico’s culinary palette is what inspired the family to keep the Mexican business concept. They have cultivated a restaurant team of nearly 20 employees to help bring the place to life. Their restaurant menu has a bit of everything— tiene de todo from homemade tamales to flautas to quesadillas and more.

They craft all of their desserts inhouse, with the culinary direction of their panadero (baker), Don Miguel, who has been a baker for four decades.

The 70-year-old breadmaker played a pivotal role in training the other two bakers to master their skill to meet Mega Mercado’s demand for traditional confections like their iconic trés leches cake, which is soaked in three different milks to create a rich, moist treat.

“When you go to a cultural restaurant and notice a lot of natives of that culture coming to enjoy the food, you know you’ve stumbled on something truly authentic. While we serve a variety of people in our community, we have a huge influx of regulars that are Mexicans who love our foods and our atmosphere,” expresses Roberto.

With piñatas dangling from above and their brick walls adorned by mural replicas of Mexican cities, customers feel a sense of the mestizos’ way of life.

“We’ve had returning customers come from all over Florida. We once had a family drive here all the way from Daytona Beach because they loved our horchata agua fresca and said no other place served one as delicious as ours,” shares Manuel, who helps run the family business.

“We always say we serve innovative comida de casa––which means our food reminds you of your Mexican grandmother’s cooking,” he continues.

Refreshingly good and crafted inhouse––their selection of agua frescas is unmatched, offering an array of favorites, such as horchata––an iced, cinnamon-infused milky beverage.

Mega Mercado also features a marketplace where locals can shop for Latin-American imports. They carry produce from all around Central and South America, including Hispanic households favorites, such as malanga (a root vegetable), plátano (plantains), guineo verde (green bananas) and more. You will also find a unique selection of carnes (meats) and helado (ice cream) to take home.

When the live mariachi band isn’t playing at the restaurant on Sundays, your ears are usually tickled by the romantic sounds of musica ranchera Mexican-ranchera style music.