Nervous Nellie’s to reopen on Saturday after Hurricane Ian destruction

A Fort Myers Beach restaurant is beating the odds and returning to the community.

Nervous Nellie’s will reopen its doors on Saturday after being closed for 477 days since Hurricane Ian’s destruction.

The restaurant has been owned by Tyler Lemmer and his family since 2014.

When Hurricane Ian hit, the restaurant had 14 feet of water inside.

During the rebuilding process, Lemmer wanted to return Nervous Nellie’s to its former self — the same big yellow chair in its usual spot and the same tiki room.

Lemmer also brought the artist who originally painted the murals inside the restaurant 20 years earlier all the way from New York.

Most importantly, Lemmer also wanted his second family, the employees, to return.

“We’re bringing back close to 50 employees,” he said.

Cheryl O’Neall is one of these employees.

She lived within walking distance of work and lost nearly everything during Hurricane Ian, including her home and her car.

But the one thing she found during those tragic times was the Lemmers and the kindness of Nervous Nellie’s customers.

“This is a team here,” she said. “It’s a family. It’s a team. It’s just so hard to explain. I’m just fortunate. We’re very grateful to be here.”

This sense of unity and family doesn’t go unnoticed by customers and is one of the many reasons why Nervous Nellie’s is so beloved.

Susan Anderson has been a Fort Myers Beach neighbor for 15 years and says the reopening “brings back a lot of good memories.”

“I get goosebumps. I still get choked up when I talk about it. Because it’s … it’s a big deal,” Anderson said.

“When you walk around the back, it has that same feel, so I think that’s what people like, too,” said Heidi Luke, a regular Fort Myers Beach visitor.

Nervous Nellie’s will reopen Saturday morning at 11.