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USA Computers
Category:
Retail Shopping
Lakeland,
Florida
(863) 648-4443
Computers Stores, best B&M store for technical purchases.
USA Computers is a small free standing, privately owned, store that sells computer components,...
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USA Computers is a small free standing, privately owned, store that sells computer components, builds custom computer systems, and does repairs.
Although sometimes higher priced, their retail store is competitively superior to the local chain stores. As a service center, their people have the technical expertise to keep you from making the wrong purchase, not only for your brand new computer but for your ten year old computer. That can be an asset if you're looking for cables or accessories for older gear.
They advise you what to buy without being pejorative, which is particularly nice if you're a female who maybe knows more than most computer sales personnel.
Right now, it's the only place in town I found a computer model with a water cooling system!
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Garden Centre that knowns how to cater to special growing needs.
This is a family owned & operated store where you'll often be greated by the family cat!
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This is a family owned & operated store where you'll often be greated by the family cat!
Known for their spring Rose sale, they open their doors one Saturday morning in the spring to a long line of eager buyers - who've been served coffee in line. The wait to buy this year's Rose Bush or Tree is worth it, because the selection is the best in town.
Some of the local housing developments have been built on reclaimed phosphate mines. The first time I found out what special care & chemicals this soil requires was here.
Need more reasons to go:
A frequent buyer's card with a 10% discount, free brochures with details on plant care and some plant care items that are hard to find.
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Don't Look for Bargains
I have been a collector at least since I was in elementary school. I enjoy decorating my home in...
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I have been a collector at least since I was in elementary school. I enjoy decorating my home in the fall with vintage items like pumpkins, turkey figurines and platters, and pilgrims. I used to be able to find these items quite readily and inexpensively at thrift stores. With the invention of eBay, however, it has gotten harder and harder to find these bargains even at stores that have merchandise given to them. This Goodwill store is definitely a thrift store for those who have money to burn.
When this store was located farther north on Florida Avenue, there was a book room in the back that had excellent buys. That disappeared when Goodwill built and then moved into this cavernous, Art Deco inspired building.
First, I'm not sure why Goodwill felt compelled to build such an expensive architecturally unique building. It must have cost a lot of money to design and erect. In my humble opinion, it was a huge waste of money. I'd much prefer shopping in a thrift store in a run-down building that has bargain basement prices.
Almost all of the merchandise is new. The few things that are vintage or collectible are priced so high that they sit on the shelves so long they get dinged up and chipped - and Goodwill still doesn't mark down the price! An example of this is three or four vintage Lefton birthday girl figurines which are collectible. They were exorbitantly priced between $15.00 and $25.00, depending on their size. Everyone of the figurines either had damage or had been repaired. After several months, hey were still there the last time I visited the store.
The one good thing about this store was the new bathroom, but even that was in disrepair the last time I was there.
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Salvation Army
Category:
Retail Shopping
3915 S Florida Ave
Lakeland,
Florida
(863) 648-0047
99 Cent Classics, Designer Labels
Salvation Army in Lakeland is a store you would pass by because of the deteriorated look of the...
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Salvation Army in Lakeland is a store you would pass by because of the deteriorated look of the store front. I only stopped there to pass time and was happily surprised.
Their monthly clothing inventory is color coded. Every couple of months, sometimes more often, they clear out a color by having a 99 cent sale. That includes dresses, suits, jeans and shirts for both men and women.
If you need to add classic clothing pieces to your wardrobe, that are well sewn and designed, this is your place. Frequent finds are department store versions of Liz Claiborne, Ann Taylor, Casual Corner, Ralph Lauren, Henri Bendel, Oleg Cassini and classic Levis (look hard some of these are worth money ;<0.
Most of the store has used items, but they also have a new tag section that has some nice selections. That is rarely on sale!
Also, rarely will you find the latest style. Buyer beware, be sure to take them into the light to examine because this store puts out some stained items as well!
My best find: A fake pearl and sequence Oleg Cassini dress for .99 that my Princess Cat is now sitting on. It was altered to a cover a foot stool.
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Old Fashioned Hardware Store
Crowders Bros Ace Hardware is your old fashioned hardware store in a nice strip mall in central...
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Crowders Bros Ace Hardware is your old fashioned hardware store in a nice strip mall in central Lakeland. A town once without those competitors lethal to specialized stores, they now compete with Target and the dreaded Walmart Superstores.
What keeps you going back to this store is a unique selection of products that cannot be found anywhere else. After a wide search, even at our newest pet store, PetCo, I still find pet cleaning products at this Crowder Bros that CANNOT be found at any other store.
The prices are not extremely competitive, except for the monthly rebates provided by Ace. The quiet atmosphere and wide selection of everything from hobby paint to regular paint and garden items are a welcome change from some larger stores. Also, they have a frequent buyers club that offers discounts after a dollar amount!
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Sells, Buys and Trades DVD's, Movies & Music
Evolution CD Movie and Game, is a late opening, about 11am, strip mall storefront. They sell...
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Evolution CD Movie and Game, is a late opening, about 11am, strip mall storefront. They sell movies on VHS and DVD. They sell, buy, trade. Trade if you are bringing in DVD's or CD's for store credit. I was offered more money for store credit than for a cash sale.
As of July 2006 this store has changed ownership. I've downgraded this rating from a 5 to a 1 for the following reasons: Lack of knowledge about Film, Lack of knowledge and respect for Music Artist, Lack of knowledge about their own business by admission.
I asked for Serenity on DVD. They didn't know what Serenity was and joked they had found Serendipity.
They told me their computer said they had one used copy. I looked for ten minutes and could not find it, finally the store manager started looking. He blamed a 16 year old employee for DVD's not being in order. One man looked behind the desk and when I went there to double check he told me trust me it isn't here. After about 20 minutes total they found the DVD behind their desk.
I was also looking for Laundry Service by Shakira.
After searching their computer one of the two clerks, one the owner, remarked she's that Belly Dancer.
They gave me $5.00 store trade, which was fine. They rang up the total and the tax was ringing up differently than the last owner had done. I simply wanted to know their explanation for how they were applying the tax. They told me that their computer program dictated what they did.
That was the second time they had told me that their computer dictated how they ran their business. I pursued an explanation for WHY they were charging what they were charging and clearly they didn't know. He offered to ban me from the store for wasting so much of his time, like the time he couldn't find his own stock and he told me they weren't all filed correctly which was their own fault. That in fact was a waste of my time.
A member of the staff was wearing a Mons Venus t-shirt, this is the local strip joint in Florida. I don't support degradation of women.
I grew up in a household with a few businesses including accounting. I like to give business to people who know what they're doing or really want to learn. I myself run a self-training website and am constantly learning. By the time I was in my 20's I was teaching at a business school. I've also worked for two major corporations in the US as a small business rep, one in a train the trainer program.
People who do not know their business product or why they are doing what they do are not pleasant to do business with. They become embarrassed by customers who inevitably know more than they do. They retaliate against customers for their own ineptness in business.
Shop at your own risk, particularly if you are female.
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Coffee for you and Free Grounds for your Garden!
Starbucks is new to this medium to small town. I've been to other freestanding Starbucks. They...
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Starbucks is new to this medium to small town. I've been to other freestanding Starbucks. They were slightly larger. This is located on the edge of small downtown Lakeland.
If more than one group of office workers wanted to gather here, there wouldn't be room. The drive-thru appears very busy first thing in the morning and there is a nice but small covered outdoor area for drinking coffee.
First, being a smaller town, the outskirts of the city are full of people with gardens. So it isn't odd that what impressed me immediately was the large aluminum bag of "coffee grounds for your garden" that they give away for Free. I love that word, let me write that again - Free.
Second, their decaf tops my list for aroma and richness. In a town this small and lacking in competition it is not easy to find a store that sells a decent decaf!
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Great Movie Theater
If you are looking for the latest movies this is the place to go. Movie times where great and ...
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If you are looking for the latest movies this is the place to go. Movie times where great and many to choose from.Theater was very clean. No trash in the bathrooms, which is great. Seats where comfortable. Parking is not a problem, plenty of it.
Employees at the food counter where very courteous and polite.
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Pat's Tavern
Category:
Bars
Wabash Street
Lakeland,
Florida
(863) 682-0188
The place to go on Thursday night!
Pat's Tavern is THE PLACE to be especially on Thursday nights! Karl Sapp is there for your...
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Pat's Tavern is THE PLACE to be especially on Thursday nights! Karl Sapp is there for your entertainment and is he an entertainer! The bar is a cozy little community bar that serves reasonably priced food and drinks. You can watch sports on the many televisions, play pool, play pinball, shoot darts, or just sit and chat and listen to Karl sing his good country music. Any night is a good night to go to Pat's but I especially like to hear Karl Sapp on Thursday nights!
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A good store for unique things!
The Beall's Home Outlet had a wide variety of 'stuff'. They have linens, pictures, candles, candy,...
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The Beall's Home Outlet had a wide variety of 'stuff'. They have linens, pictures, candles, candy, statues, metal art, sculptures, kitchen items, etc. They have the greatest CLEARANCE section. If you need a unique gift for someone who has everything, try this great store. and be sure to check the clearance section. On Mondays, if you are a senior citizen, you get 15% off of your total bill, (great perk)! I have gotten some unique picture frames here and many other things for gifts for my friends and family!
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