Nemo’s Sports Cafe opens on the Beach
It’s been almost one year to the day that the Barking Shark held a closing auction that cleaned out all of the beachfront restaurant’s possessions. It wasn’t long afterward that a new sports bar was to take its place at the 1154 Estero Blvd. location.
Time’s changed, a recession grew longer and foreclosures multiplied. Not an ideal setting for opening a new business. Even Bill Keith, the principal figure behind the Barking Shark, is no longer involved in the business or investing end of any of the operations.
Forward one year later, Nemo’s on the Beach: A Sports Cafe, is making a run of it. The sports bar, which takes part of its name from the eatery in one of the principal owner’s chain of six bowling centers in Southwest Florida, opened its doors officially this past Monday, Dec. 7.
The 184-seat establishment is offering a homemade menu with fresh seafood and plenty more.
General manager Tom Carr and assistant general manager Kevin Pawlowski will be the management team running the business.
“We’re going to have a full menu encompassing seafood, steaks and you name it,” Tom said. “From our research, this will be one of the newest, nicest, affordable places with some of the lower prices down here.”
Keith’s former Estero Beach Holdings, LLC business partners Patrick Ciniello, a restauranteur with more than 30 years experience and the owner of the bowling centers, and Jim Forrester, a certified public accountant, have taken over the business ownership of the year-long vacant building.
“Our menu will be a little more advanced than we have in our bowling centers, with more fresh fish cooked in a new kitchen,” Patrick said. “And, we have a great view.”
Tom said the menu will be continually revolving, adding and trying new things regularly, offering plenty of specials, and always open to input and suggestions.
“If a customer would like to suggest something for our menu, we’ll try it,” he said.
Patrick spoke of his optimism that the new business will do fine even during recessional times.
“It’s difficult, but we’re hoping that the recession will start fading away.” he said. “I think Fort Myers Beach is thirsting for some new types of entertainment and establishment.”
Tom is proud to let us know how business has been so far.
“We’ve only been open a week and have had repeat customers already, coming in every day,” he said. “We’ve been drawing a local crowd and have not received one complaint nothing’s even come back to the kitchen.”
Patrick said the establishment’s name came from his bowling center’s cafes. They began as Nemo’s Nautical Lounges (when he first opened) to Nemo’s Hard Rock Cafes (until the well-established Hard Rock Cafe interjected) to Nemo’s Sports Cafe.
Renovating and more
Nemo’s has gone through quite a many renovations since opening on the beach. Of them, Tom is sure to point out a big change.
“We’ve got the cleanest bathrooms on the beach,” he said. “We went in and completely cleaned them up, repainted them, retiled them”
The front dining area will be the perfect spot to catch all of the street-ridden entertainment that passes by during the upcoming season, and Tom plans to install its very own full bar.
“We want people to come, loosen up, have a great time and just be themselves,” he said.
Although it’s offered throughout the entire premises, the upstairs area will soon be converted into a dining hall, open for private parties, functions and more.
Hours and entertainment
Hours to the new beach establishment are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. Once the restaurant obtains its liquor license (hopefully within a month), Tom said closing hours will most likely change to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and midnight all other days.
Happy hour is held Monday to ?Friday, from 3 to 6 p.m., Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m., consisting of $2 drafts, $2.25 bottles and half-price full-size appetizers.
“We’re becoming known very quick about our food portions,” Tom said. “They’re very huge and they’re fantastic. You definitely don’t leave hungry, and you leave with a bunch of to-go boxes.”
Be sure to catch any and all games on the multiple TVs set up throughout the front and rear rooms.
“We’ve got the NFL?Package, baseball, hockey, soccer, Direct TV every channel under the sun you name it,” Tom said.
Live music will reign from the stage Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and once season starts, expect to rock at least five nights a week.
“We’ve already had about 400 musicians come in wanting to play,” Tom said. “We’re definitely looking to mix up our entertainment schedule and give everyone a fair chance.”
Look forward to seeing 17-year-old Emma during her first gig this Saturday, from noon to 3 p.m., who Tom says “has a set of pipes. She’s fantastic.” And the Dave “the Flamingo Kid” Barber will finish the night from 6 to 9 p.m.
Pick-up is available, and delivery is a thought that may be an option in the future as well. For more info or to place an order, call 233-8224.
BOB PETCHER also contributed to this article.