City Tavern reopens in Fort Myers, others still working to do the same

Finally opening its doors again almost four months after Hurricane Ian, City Tavern in downtown Fort Myers is now ready for customers.

The first word Meghan Fitzmaurice, assistant manager of City Tavern, used to describe being back was “Emotional.”

Seeing what the storm did to City Tavern and the rest of downtown was tough. So was making the necessary repairs, but that’s all behind them now.

“Oh, my God, yesterday, you look around, you’re standing in there. And it’s, it’s the place like, it looks like city tavern and get and finally and we’re just so excited that it’s emotional. You know, you’re just like, oh, my gosh, we’ve been waiting for this,” said Fitzmaurice.

Fitzmaurice is thrilled the restaurant’s joining the others who again welcome customers after some trying times. “So we see everybody picking their heads, and they can’t wait to see us. We can’t wait till they’re back. We missed all of our regulars. We miss all the new people that we’re gonna meet, you know?”

“I’ve been coming in here on and off for years. So absolutely. Everybody I know comes down here eventually. So it’s right by the river. So everybody’s down here anyway. So it’s a very important place,” said Dunn.

There was a huge turnout to the soft reopening at City Tavern on Wednesday night.

The restaurant told WINK News that they had only received some of the permits they needed earlier in the day and were waiting until then to officially reopen.

City Tavern used word of mouth to tell people they were ready for customers again. They say they were thrilled to see so many familiar faces.

“I told everybody to give them what they’re used to getting because we got to come back stronger than where we were when we left. So, it’s been great. It’s been a really good turnout, first night back. The way it is now, I wouldn’t have thought we ever closed,” said Perry Hauser, director of operations at City Tavern.

Hauser said their official grand reopening would happen soon, and they will post the date to their Facebook page once it is finalized.

Next to reopen is Firestone. Managing partner Nils Richter said he expects to be back in business by the end of the month.

“We’re just happy that we’re back open and that downtown is busy and all the people come down and enjoy it. And it’s great to see so many kinds of happy faces in the restaurant and on the street again,” said Richter.

While those restaurants are returning, the owner of First Street confirmed he would not reopen.