Doctor Watson’s Spirits opens at Calusa Cay

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

It was quite a relief for Beth Durling, owner of Doctor Watson’s Spirits of Pine Island, to finally have moved into the new location at Calusa Cay The store began in the Winn-Dixie plaza on the island in 1984, Durling explained, after her father, a big fan of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, applied for and won the liquor license, by lottery

“To this day, liquor licenses are drawn based on population increase You either buy one that is a resale market or you have the opportunity to buy one in a state lot- tery,” Durling said

For years, her brother Richard entered her father in the state lottery for a liquor license, she said, and her father won The license was originally intended for a Holmes and Watson-themed restaurant and lounge, but instead landed on Doctor Watson’s Spirits package store Talk about moving the store began some time ago, when it was thought perhaps another liquor store might open near the center

Durling said it really wasn’t on her radar at first because Pine Island Elementary is too close to have a store in the Calusa Cay Shopping Plaza that sells alcohol,