We Are FMB!

Fort Myers Beach has always been more than a picturesque coastal town—it’s a community with an unwavering spirit. Over the past few years, that spirit has been tested by a relentless series of hurricanes: Ian, Helene, and Milton. Each storm left its mark, reshaping the shoreline and the lives of those who call the island home. But if you walk the streets today, you’ll see something extraordinary—not just reconstruction, but rebirth.

The devastation began with Hurricane Ian in September 2022, a storm so powerful it obliterated homes, businesses, and so many memories. Then came Helene and Milton in 2024, compounding the damage and forcing residents to rebuild not once, but multiple times. Yet through the debris and heartbreak, Fort Myers Beach never lost its pulse.

Local businesses like Tunaskin adapted by going mobile, and then again by relocating to their rebuilt brick and mortar location. La Ola, our neighbor in Times Square, was first to get his operation mobile and is still adapting to the pressures of permits and procedures...but always looking to the future.  Residents dug out of sand, muck, and ruin—some literally—and began again. The community didn’t just rebuild structures; they rebuilt lives, routines, and hope. 

The Islander reopened in October 2024 after being shuttered for two years following Hurricane Ian. It was a long haul but worth the wait for sure! The reopening wasn’t just a business milestone—it was a deeply emotional homecoming.

I described the moment as a “homecoming parade,” filled with laughter, tears, and reunions with customers who had become family over decades and friends from the island and all over Lee County. The store had taken in six feet of water during Ian, destroying everything inside. And to test our resolve just days after our initial reopening, Hurricane Milton threatened to undo all the hard work. But this time, thanks to the herculean efforts of our employees and good friends, we loaded everything we could in to a 26 foot U-Haul and moved it off the island!  Crazy?  Maybe...but we only lost a couple of tables this time.  The Islander survived with only minor damage, and we reopened again two weeks later.  

What makes Fort Myers Beach’s recovery so remarkable isn’t just the rebuilding—it’s the relationships. It's the community. The Islander’s reopening was marked by hugs, shared stories, and tears from folks who had lost so much....but with hope, saw their way to a new start.

This is a story about resilience. It’s about a town and it's people that refuses to be defined by disaster. It’s about people who show up, rebuild, and keep showing up—no matter how many times the tide tries to wash them away. It's a story of how HOPE is the ultimate strategy no matter the odds.