Less than 2 months before commercial flights begin, Waco Kitchen at Lakeland airport closes
Less than two months before Avelo Airlines is scheduled to make its first commercial flights out of Lakeland Linder International Airport, Lakeland officials announced Monday afternoon that the airport's only food vendor will temporarily suspend its operations.
There is no scheduled date for service to resume.
Waco Kitchen opened on the second floor of the airport in August 2022. The city had signed a lease agreement with its operator, Dimor Eats LLC, for the 5,300-square-foot space in November 2021.
On Friday, Airport Director Kris Hallstrand received an email from Attorney Juergen R. Ostertag, representing Dimor Group Inc., a Cologne, Germany-based subsidiary of Dimor Aero.
Dimor Aero had acquired Michigan-based Waco Aircraft Company in November 2018, as reported by Flying Magazine.
Ostertag informed city officials that Dimor Group — which owns Waco Aircraft — does not have any business affiliation with Dimor Eats, the limited liability company that was operating the airport's restaurant.
Dimor Eats LLC is registered to Corporation Service Company, based in Tallahassee, under manager Sven Lepschy, according to SunBiz.org
Ostertag said it was intended for Dimor Eats and its restaurant business to become part of the Dimor Group's companies. However, the business connection was not made.
"Unfortunately, the negotiations about one of the companies of the Dimor group of companies taking over the restaurant have failed," Ostertag wrote in the April 19 email.
The Ledger has reached out to Ostertag in attempt to learn more about what failed in the business negotiations.
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Waco Kitchen's staff were employed by Dimor Real Estate LLC, which is owned by Dimor Group. Ostertag said all the employees were served with a termination notice on Sunday, effective immediately.
"It will be Sven Lepschy’s decision whether to continue the operation of the restaurant at the Lakeland Airport," Ostertag wrote.
The Ledger has attempted to reach Lepschy without an immediate response.
Waco Kitchen's 4COP license, allowing it to serve beer, wine and hard liquors, is registered to Lepschy under Dimor Eats, according to Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation's website. The license's expiration is listed as March 31, 2024, but is marked as current and active.
Waco Kitchen's main phone line, 863-583-4004, was not answered during its regular business hours Monday. A recording indicated the line's voicemail was not set up.
Under its lease with the city, Waco Kitchen is required as a tenant to operate its dining facility to serve at least one meal per day for lunch, a minimum of six days a week. If the restaurant did not serve lunch on Sunday or Monday, it is in violation of its contract with the city.
The news of Waco Kitchen's suspension of operations, and possible long-term closure, comes less than a month after the announcement Avelo Airlines will launch commercial service to New Haven, Connecticut in June. It could leave the airport without any food service.
Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on X @SaraWalshFl.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Waco Kitchen suspends operations at Lakeland Linder airport
