Growing Number of Kava Bars Opening in Lakeland
Kava bars are starting to pop up in Lakeland, providing a nightlife scene that doesn’t rely on alcohol. There’s N7 Nitro Kava Bar, Sun Kava & CBD, and Quinteassence Kava Bar, to name a few. Quinteassence opened last November in the Parker Street neighborhood at 839 N. Massachusetts Ave. Owners Jonathan Thoresen, 29, of Lake Wales, and Earnest Joseph Odom, 28, of Lakeland, said they chose to open in that location because they found it to be an affordable place to open a storefront. “Lakeland is a mostly undiluted market when it comes to kava. Florida has had an explosion of growth in the kava community. With no traditional-style kava bars in the area, it was the perfect location,” said Jonathan Thoresen. Referring to their venture as a botanical drink business, they serve kava , kratom , teas and cacao. “We serve traditional drinks from around the world — matcha from Japan, cacao from Ecuador, kava from Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Fiji, tea from China and Japan, boba...