By Samantha Zimmerman
Among Lakeland’s plethora of coffee shops, a new stop is working its way into the mix and adding a touch of fresh brewed delight to the north side of town. Final preparations are being made for the grand-opening of Jitters Coffee Cafe on Sept. 24.
Lakeland native Vincent Patterson has decided to return to his hometown to open Jitters in the Lakeland Square Mall. Patterson spent time in Jacksonville where he gained experience in the coffee business.
A coffee fanatic, Patterson was always partial to the morning staple and decided to seriously researching it in 2013. Rise and Grind was born soon after in Jacksonville in 2015 and began as a coffee-truck. It later grew into a successful business.
Patterson was then tracked by a representative from the Lakeland Square Mall and was asked if he’d be interested in coming back to his hometown to open a coffee shop.
“I decided to open in the mall for a few reasons,” Patterson said. “First, there is no quality coffee in the mall. Secondly, I remember when Lakeland Square used to be the place to be and with the current renovations and revitalization, I wish to be a part of that.”
Jitters plans to provide customers with a diverse menu including coffee, sweet treats, wraps and sandwiches. The coffee shop will also be partnering with Got Candy & More, a local bakery located on S Kentucky Ave. Got Candy & More will be providing Jitters with sweet treats and pastries including handmade cupcakes.
Other partners include Patriot Coffee Roasters who will provide drip and espresso products, and Pura Bean Coffee & Kahwa Coffee who will provide Jitters’ cold brew beverages.
Jitters plans to provide all basic espresso drinks as well as 3 types of macchiatos: espresso macchiatos, latte macchiatos and caramel macchiatos. Many espresso drinks will also use real, granulated sugar rather than a simple syrup as sweetener.
In addition to espresso beverages, a small selection of smoothies will be available. For those looking for something refreshing and sweet, Patterson plans to offer basil infused lemonades with fresh pureed fruit.
Florida Southern College students are looking forward to Jitters opening in the Lakeland Square Mall. Kate Vita, a current sophomore at FSC, had not heard of the new coffee cafe but is now excited to try it out!
“There are already so many great local coffee shops in Lakeland, so I’m looking forward to trying out another,” Vita said. “It’ll be neat to see what they try to do to set themselves apart from other shops like Black and Brew and Concord Coffee.”
