Reaching this milestone is a chance for us to look back at the stories, conversations, ideas, and the people who have helped shape Haven over the past decade. More than anything, we’re thankful to our readers for picking us up every month. We’re grateful to our contributors, partners, and everyone who has given us their time, trust, and support. Thank you for sharing with us. Ten years is a big moment for us, but it’s also a reminder that we’re only successful because of our

In 2026, the world moves faster than ever. We order food from our phones, work remotely, and spend much of our lives communicating through screens. Yet somehow, coffee shops still matter, maybe now more than ever. As we celebrate 30 years of this little coffee shop being part of the community, I’ve found myself reflecting on what a place like this truly means today. Yes, people come in for coffee, breakfast, or a quick stop before work. But after spending the last two and a h

It is only slightly ironic that one of the oldest continuously operating restaurants in Winter Haven is the Sixth Street McDonald’s. (Andy’s Igloo predates it, but that is a story for another day.) In fact, the single-arch sign at the front of the property — original to the location — is one of less than ten left in the country. Our story begins when two brothers, Vernon and Philip Vineyard, decided to become franchisees of a new concept, McDonald’s Hamburgers. Vernon came to

I am well aware that by kicking this thing off with words like “greatest” and “ever,” I am wading into highly subjective waters. Anyone proclaiming that any one person or place or piece of pizza or work of art is the preeminent example of its kind, “of all time,” is either selling something, engaging in a bit of cheeky hyperbole, or else they’re probably just an asshole. Stirring the pot. There is a decent chance this whole thing spirals into a diatribe and lands me firmly in

After paying his way through medical school working in the shipyard and serving as a flight surgeon on the Yorktown during World War II, Dr. Benjamin J. Bond envisioned a “one-stop” medical clinic in Winter Haven. He selected pediatrician Dr. Rita Marotti, OB/GYN, Dr. T.C. Karamidas, and primary care physician Dr. William Steele to help him realize this vision. They opened Bond Clinic in the New Coker Building on June 1, 1949. 1954 Dr. Keramidas, Dr. Dorman, Dr. Bond, Dr. M