Remembering Fort Myers Beach ‘Mayor’ Brad Benson

Reporter: Amy Galo Writer: Elyssa Morataya
Published: Updated:

To know Brad Benson was to know a legend.

He recently passed away at the age of 71 after battling health issues.

“I’m sure there are hundreds and hundreds of folks who vacation regularly on Fort Myers Beach who probably saw him every day of their vacation and just never knew who he was or how important he was to so many of us,” said Anita Cereceda, who knew Benson as a friend for 45 years.

Benson was known as one of the “OGs” on Fort Myers Beach.

“Before the town incorporated, people called him the mayor of Fort Myers Beach. He was just the kind of guy that everyone knew,” said Cereceda.

Brad was a long-time property owner on Times Square.

“When I first met him, he owned a cozy cafe, which was before Times Square was closed off and became a pedestrian area,” said Cereceda. “He was my landlord for more than 20 years at Local Color.”

He also owned the property where Mango Rita’s once stood, and maybe you remember the old T-shirt shop?

When these structures, and others, were washed away by Hurricane Ian, Brad was one of many who fought hard to rise back.

“After Hurricane Ian, we went to the town council together and asked what’s happening with timeshares. What’s going to happen with this and that,” said Daniel Clarkston, owner of Mr. Waves Island Bar.

While Brad may be gone, his dreams for Times Square live on.

“I think he knew what he wanted for Times Square to become, in between the old and the new,” said Clarkson.

“It’s like another page in the history of Fort Myers Beach turning because Brad Benson was certainly part of it,” said Cereceda.

WINK News reporter Amy Galo spoke with many other business owners and beachgoers who said that while they may not have personally known Brad, they always knew of him or heard great things.

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