WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — In the heart of downtown Winter Haven, sits Gourmet Goodies Bake Shop and Bistro.
When you walk inside, you’re greeted with cookies, cake pops, cheesecake, and cupcakes—you name it.
“We’re extremely well known for our cupcakes, that’s how we started,” said Carissa Hughes, owner of Gourmet Goodies Bake Shop & Bistro.
WATCH: City of Winter Haven sees growth as expansion continues
Primarily a custom cake bakery, they do it all, and for Hughes, there’s no place she’d rather be doing it.
“Downtown Winter Haven is an incredible community," said Hughes.
A community that’s been front and center in supporting this business and many others.
“I think one of my favorite things about Winter Haven in general is the support from the community… and the small businesses that make this area thrive… I mean, the best compliment that we can ever get is a referral,” said Hughes.
Winter Haven’s downtown area is a special one—filled with small, locally owned businesses that support each other.
“They’re all people who live in this community, they raise their families in this community… It’s very much collaboration over competition… That collaboration, that connection, with the community is the heart of Winter Haven and who we are,” said Hughes.
And just down the street from Gourmet Goodies, Jessi Rodriguez’s shop, Polk Cycles, is one of those businesses happy to be downtown.
“The fact that everything is walking distance, you can just kind of go from shop to shop, is really, really nice,” said Rodriguez.
He took over the shop in January, focusing on bike services like flat tires, brake adjustments, and custom orders.
“We’re a small shop. We focus primarily on service. That’s kind of where my heart has been. I was a service technician for about six years,” said Rodriguez.
He believes what he’s doing is bigger than bikes.
“Just feeling like I’m in the community, helping the community, and even though it’s something small like getting on a bike, for some people it’s a really, really big deal, and I’m just happy that we get to be a part of that,” said Rodriguez.
Both Hughes and Rodriguez are seeing the growth downtown.
“I know that there’s a lot more as far as foot traffic for us,” said Rodriguez.
More developers are eyeing the area.
“Businesses that continue to just take us to the next level and make this a destination point,” said Hughes.
Winter Haven’s downtown has gone through a lot of revitalization from shops, restaurants, a comedy club, bars, and a theater—this area is still growing.
“It’s been a little hectic. We’ve been growing, not just in Winter Haven, but in Florida in general,” said Eric Labbe, Director of Economic Opportunity and Community Investment for the City of Winter Haven.
The city’s newest project, Grand Central, is taking three vacant buildings downtown and revitalizing them.
“It’ll be full of restaurants and retail and a coffee bar, event space right in the heart of downtown,” said Labbe.
As part of an effort to address the growth in the city, leaders have also been working to diversify housing for all the people moving here.
Officials have been working to address the extreme need for affordable housing, too.
“The need is everywhere. Not just in Winter Haven, not just in Florida, but nationally. Housing affordability is a national topic, and we’re just trying to do our little part here in Winter Haven to help in that regard,” said Labbe.
The city recently opened up Florence Place, affordable housing apartments.
“It’s my understanding in the first week they have 88 units and they received over 5,000 applications,” said Labbe.
There’s a waiting list to get a unit, but the city is working on at least two more affordable housing developments.
These are just a few of the projects underway as more people and businesses move to Winter Haven.
This growth is something business owners, like Hughes, are excited about.
“We’re thankful for the investors, developers, that continue to have a vision for downtown Winter Haven,” said Labbe.
