BUsiness New home for Fresh Catch Bistro and Junkanoo at Bayfront Bistro

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

Fresh Catch Bistro and Junkanoo owner Franco Russo has announced he has acquired the Bayfront Bistro business at Snook Bright Marina on Fort Myers Beach and will be operating Fresh Catch Bistro on the top floor and Junkanoo Below Deck on the first floor

Russo said Junkanoo could be open by next week and Fresh Catch Bistro could open within a few weeks

“After over 30 years at our old location, it is certainly not easy to say goodbye but we are excited to be able to continue to call Fort Myers Beach our home,” Franco stated in an email “This is the perfect fit for us as we will be able to have Junkanoo Below Deck on the ground floor and Fresh Catch Bistro on the top floor We are thrilled to be able to employ our old staff and most of the Bayfront Bistro staff as well and can’t wait to see all of our amazing customers again.”

Russo will be renting the former Bayfron Bistro space from Snook Bight/Suntex Marina “They have been great to work with so far,” Russo stated in an email

“Obviously the hurricane was difficult for everyone We lost two buildings and ultimately we made the deci-

Crescent Street home sells for $4.15 million

By NATHAN MAYBERG nmayberg@breezenewspapers com

In an indication of where the real estate market may be at on Fort Myers Beach in the wake of Hurricane Ian, a home on Crescent Street near the Margaritaville resort site has sold for $4 15 million The deal closed on Wednesday, Premier Plus Realty agent Angie Deters said

Deters, an agent based in Bonita Springs for the seller De Beer Property Management LLC, said the property was a single-family home that closed within 17 days of being listed. The home suffered lowerlevel damage during Hurricane Ian, but was in otherwise good shape, Deters said

“Other than the lower level, it is pretty much perfect,” Deters said The property had previously been registered with the town as a short-term vacation rental

The buyer is listed under real estate transaction records as 250 FMB LLC, which just incorporated this month under Candace Nanke of Naples Nanke's 4148 LLC group acquired the Beach Theater and Gulfview Manor last year

“We have a thrilled seller and a thrilled buyer,” Deters said Deters said the transaction was “very reflective of where the Fort Myers Beach real estate market is going ” Deters said she is working with five buyers currently seeking to make cash deals on Fort Myers Beach “They see what’s coming,” Deters said “I think they believe in the future It’s here ” sion to terminate our lease because it was just too much to rebuild, not just financially,” Russo said Russo said “I am optimistic because I believe this Island will rebuild bigger and better It saddens me to think that it may not be the quaint Island we all know and love but as a restaurant owner I am excited about the potential of what the Island will look like and attract ”

Shawn Lemarie, of Bayfront Bistro, confirmed the sale of Bayfront Bistro The business was co-owned by Florida Rep Bob Rommel Rommel couldn’t be reached for comment

Junkanoo was destroyed by Hurricane Ian on property it shared at 3040 Estero Boulevard with Fresh Catch Bistro Fresh Catch Bistro was also badly damaged “We have some work to do,” Russo said of moving to the new location

Bayfront Bistro is located on Estero Boulevard behind Publix The restaurant was one of the first businesses on

Fort Myers Beach to reopen after Hurricane Ian The Publix supermarket has remained closed

On the Facebook page of Fresh Catch Bistro, where the announcement of the business deal was first announced, “obstacles” were cited to rebuilding the businesses

“We believe there is a lot of work that needs to be done but we believe in the future of Fort Myers Beach Being staples of the island for so long, we felt we should do everything we could to remain a part of our beach community,” the Facebook announcement said

Fresh Catch Bistro and Junkanoo have been multiple winners of the Best of the Beach awards given out by the Fort Myers Beach Observer and Beach Bulletin as voted on by Fort Myers Beach readers and businesses over the years

The property on which Fresh Catch Bistro and Junkanoo sat was on land owned by Persaud Properties FL Investments LLC