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Owners of Moss Marina announce purchase of Smokin Oyster Brewery, other downtown properties

By Nathan Mayberg - Editor | Jun 14, 2023

Smokin Oyster Brewery has been purchased by the owners of Moss Marina, according to an announcement by representatives of Moss Marina. File photo

The owners of Moss Marina have announced they have purchased Smokin’ Oyster Brewery on Old San Carlos Boulevard, along with several other downtown properties. The Freelands, who own Moss Marina, are proposing to develop the marina into a multi-hotel, commercial project known as Arches Bayfront.

The Freelands purchased 340 Old San Carlos Boulevard and 401 Old San Carlos Boulevard, as well as 935 and 939 Third Street.

Ben Freeland, who owns Moss Marina and is developing Arches Bayfront, said two of the lots he purchased are vacant, while another is a residential property which will be torn down due to damage from Hurricane Ian. Initially, Freeland said he wasn’t planning on buying Smokin’ Oyster Brewery, though it became a part of the deal.

Freeland is seeking another local family/restauranteur who wishes to keep the “Smokin Oyster Brewery legacy alive” by relocating their restaurant to the Smokin Oystery Brewery location or otherwise take over operations there. “We would love for somebody to buy the assets and lease the property,” he said.

Freeland said he has already received several messages of interest in those who want to operate Smokin’ Oyster Brewery. “I would like to see if we can have somebody local. They had a great business there and a lot of history,” he said.

Smokin’ Oyster Brewery executive chef Reid Freeman, pictured in 2020. The restaurant has been sold to the owners of Moss Marina, according to an announcement. File photo

Freeland said he purchased the residential lots to open up a “main gateway” to Arches Bayfront. “They can enter there or at First Street by the bar. It minimizes the effects on the residential neighborhood,” he said.

Irina Woelfle, of IWPR Group Community Engagement, said the plan is to reduce traffic down residential streets at Bonita Street and Harbour Court by creating the Arches Bayfront entrance on Old San Carlos Boulevard.

“Traffic on these residential streets was perhaps the biggest concern from the open house,” Woelfle said. Woefle said that reopening Smokin Oyster Brewery will “reactivate Old San Carlos Boulevard.”

Freeland said he has “made some adjustments” to plans for Arches Bayfront since last month’s meeting with the public at the Pink Shell Beach Resort. Freeland said he has taken into consideration more than 400 comments submitted online, and has met with town councilmembers and Local Planning Agency members. He recently had a pre-planning meeting with the town’s building and planning department.

“We were able to incorporate a lot of the suggestions,” Freeland said.

The Smokin' Oyster Brewery has been purchased by Ben Freeland, owner of Moss Marina. File photo

Some of the adjustments he said he has made is making the plans into “more of a Fort Myers Beach vibe” with more access for pedestrians and bicyclists in addition to an extra entry point. Freeland said the feedback he has received has been “positive. We feel there is a lot of opportunity there to open up the island and get the economy going.”

The next step will be for Freeland to go in front of the Local Development Agency with the new plans.

Moss Marina also announced that the Rude Shrimp Co. will be relocating there.

Those interested in operating Smokin’ Oyster Brewery can send a message of interest to Freeland through www.ARCHESBayfront.com. The goal would be to reopen the restaurant within the next year. Smokin’ Oystery Brewery has been shuttered since Hurricane Ian.