June 24, 2025

Continental Realty Corporation Attracts Three New Retailers Totaling Over 11,000 Square Feet Of Space To Lakeside Village

BALTIMORE, MD (June 24, 2025) – Continental Realty Corporation (CRC) has attracted three new retailers, totaling more than 11,000 square feet of space, to Lakeside Village, a nearly 460,000 square foot super-regional lifestyle center located at 1479 Town Center Drive in Lakeland, Florida just east of Tampa. Sola Salon Studios (8,469 square feet), Waxing the City (1,565 square feet) and Patriot Growth Insurance Services (1,102 square feet) represent the most recent tenant additions to the center, which also includes the expected opening of J.Crew Factory this summer. Kristin Perry, Leasing Manager, Commercial and Monica Johnson, Senior Commercial Leasing Associate of CRC, represented the landlord in all three transactions.

Sola Salon, comprised of independently-owned hair stylists, plans for mid-summer opening

Matt Briger and Stratton Smith co-founded Sola Salon Studios in 2004 with the goal of building a thriving community where independent hair stylists and beauty professionals could create a life and a career they loved. There are now approximately 750 Sola Salon Studios operating throughout the United States and Canada, with the Lakeside Village location operated by local General Manager, Anisa Hodzic, featuring spaces for nearly 40 beauty professionals, expected to open by mid-summer.

“Sola Salon is a highly-efficient and proven business model for all parties involved and this industry was in need of a concept in which beauty professionals could function as their own boss and make impactful decisions in their best interest,” explained Hodzic. “Industry workers have dealt with working long hours for relatively low pay, with many forced to sign non-compete agreements that benefitted the shop owners. The Sola Salons concept is ideal for entrepreneurs wishing to take control of their business, without the hassle of worrying about which radio station is being played, operational hours and other major or minor decisions. Instead, they can concentrate exclusively on managing a successful business.”

“We consider Lakeside Village as the premier shopping and dining destination in the greater Lakeland area, and we know that the location will encourage beauty professionals to move their businesses here, and is also a place where clients will look forward to visiting regularly,” added Hodzic.

Waxing the City, specializing in body and facial waxing, expected to open this summer

Stephanie and Bill Fink chose Lakeside Village as the site of the first of three Waxing the City franchise locations they plan to open in Florida over the next several years. The concept specializes in body and facial waxing services for women and men, including brow, Brazilian, bikini, leg, arm, underarm, back and chest waxing. Waxing the City also offers brow and lash enhancements, skin brightening treatments and a curated selection of skincare and suncare products.

Bill Fink said that after earning a Master’s degree and yearning to become an entrepreneur, he started searching for viable franchising opportunities with a focus on investing in a proven business model and established brand. Waxing the City emerged as the ideal concept, according to Fink, because of “the support provided by the parent company, the concept’s warm and attractive environment, and because consumers tend to gravitate to experiences that make them feel more confident and look better. The concept is owned by Purpose Brands, which is also the group behind Orangetheory Fitness and Anytime Fitness, two other highly-regarded franchises.”

Fink and his wife were also attracted by the chance to provide career positions to certified “estheticians” or, as they call the professionals, “cerologists,” which combines “cera,” the Latin word for wax, with “ologist,” which highlights their level of education and experience.

“Lakeside Village was the obvious first choice for our first location, based on the tremendous tenant mix, our strategic location off the center’s main circle, and the extremely active special event programming and marketing strategy,” Fink said. “The entire team is highly collaborative and we believe our unique and sought-after suite of services will immediately resonate among the local community.”

Patriot Growth Insurance Services ranked as 24th largest broker in the U.S.

Patriot Growth Insurance Services operates 170 offices throughout 28 states. The national insurance services firm, which partners with employee benefits and property and casualty agencies across the United States, was ranked as the 24th largest broker in the U.S. in 2024 by Business Insurance. The group services business and consumer clients with a full range of insurance products, including general and professional liability, property, commercial automobile, cyber liability, and inland marine.

Acquired by CRC in 2023, Lakeside Village center features more than 70 tenants, is anchored by Belk, CMX Lakeside Village 18 & IMAX, and Books-A-Million, and is shadow-anchored by Kohl’s. With Nordstrom Rack expected to open soon, Lakeside Village continues to offer a diverse mix of uses, including entertainment, medical/healthcare, fitness, food, and beverage, as well as 46,000 square feet of Class A office space. The open-air shopping center sits on 88 acres, including over 2,000 feet of frontage on Polk Highway, which connects to I-4 and the greater metropolitan areas of Orlando and Tampa.

This recent leasing activity brings Lakeside Village’s occupancy to an impressive 96 percent,” said Kristina O’Keefe, Vice President of CRC’s Commercial Division. “Since acquiring the property two years ago, our vertically-integrated team has introduced fresh branding, executed a comprehensive renovation strategy across the center, stabilized the tenant base, and successfully attracted a range of new retailers that cater to the evolving needs of the Lakeland community. This investment underscores our commitment to creating an inclusive destination where consumers can shop, connect, and enjoy a variety of experiences.

Headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland and founded in 1960, Continental Realty Corporation is a full-service commercial real estate and investment company focused on acquiring and operating retail and multifamily properties. The privately held firm owns and manages a diversified portfolio of retail centers consisting of over eight million square feet of commercial space and more than 10,000 apartment homes across 14 states, with a portfolio valued at nearly $4.2 billion. For additional information, visit www.crcrealty.com.