What would you like to see in this historic building in downtown Lakeland?

It’s time to be the broker, Lakeland

. You may know Thom Downs Antiques from your days of shopping for unique finds, or maybe you know it for the

iconic mural on its side

, but the historic 16,650-sqft storefront is about to be known for something else entirely —

we just don’t know what that is yet.

The 1922 building is on the market for the first time in decades. Originally, the site served as Lakeland’s own Ford dealership, where crews assembled

Ford Model Ts

. In the 1980s, Thomas Downs opened his store after

discovering a passion

for traveling around the world collecting antique glassware and furniture.

Photo provided by Augie Schmidt

Now, it’s another Lakelander’s turn to leave their mark on North Florida Avenue. If you’re shopping for retail space, here’s what you should know:

• The price tag: $2,195,000 ($132/sqft)
• The layout: Two stories of open floor plan space featuring I-beam construction. The first floor is just over 8,000 sqft.
• Features: functioning freight elevator
• Zoning: C7 — which means it’s currently zoned for mixed-use retail and residential space, restaurants, offices, hotels, event spaces, and more
• Listing agent: Augie Schmidt , SVN | Saunders Ralston Dantzler Real Estate

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