Roundtable group brings islands’ eateries together
In the post-Hurricane Ian recovery years, over a dozen Sanibel and Captiva restaurants have come together to collaborate, brainstorm and share advice to help draw business back to the islands.
Facilitated by the SanCap Chamber, the restaurant roundtable group formed after the 2022 storm as eateries began to reopen their doors, but customer foot traffic was an obstacle due to the lack of accommodation inventory on the islands. Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer John Lai explained that about 20 restaurants had reopened, but not over 20 hotels to supply the diners.
“We identified there was a gap. There was a need,” he said, adding that it was especially difficult drawing customers in during the off season, plus there was the lack of residents post-hurricane.
Tutti Pazzi Italian Kitchen co-owner and Chef Pasquale Russo, who serves as the chair for the group’s restaurant members — with chamber Board Chair Katy Forret serving as chair for the chamber — explained that reopening after Ian was like a financial Mount Everest to climb. He approached Lai and proposed getting together a committee consisting of the eateries to see if they could help each other.
“We didn’t view ourselves as competitors,” Russo said of those that had reopened.
He pointed to how the community came together during the earlier red tide events. Perhaps the collective group could do the same and collaborate on marketing, advertising — and more.
“The general thought was, ‘How do we, as a collective group who have a shared interest and are codependent on each, draw customers?’ It was really meant to be a sounding board and a way to bring people together,” Russo said. “And a way to bring awareness that people don’t need to stay away.”
He explained that they were battling against such messaging as the islands rebuilt.
Group member and Stilwell Enterprises & Restaurant Group owner and Chief Executive Officer Sandy Stilwell Youngquist, with the Cantina Captiva, Keylime Bistro, Latte Da, RC Otter’s Island Eats and Sunshine Seafood Cafe and Wine Bar, added that many had not even recovered from the pandemic yet.
“Right after Hurricane Ian, we were all closed. We still had huge needs because we had all this staff we were trying to keep employed if we could,” she said, explaining that there was no sense in having the doors open if there were no customers.
Youngquist also pointed to the messaging about not bothering the islands.
“We wanted the message to be out there that we wanted people to come out,” she said.
And so, the restaurant roundtable group was born.
“We’ve got about 26 restaurants represented from both islands,” Lai said of present day. “We’ve got a group of great leaders who are willing to share ideas and thoughts to make sure we all succeed.”
Focused on creative ways to boost the islands’ economy for the restaurants, the think tank collaborated with the Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau, resulting in the Savor the Shore campaign. He reported that it led to the toll abatement on the Sanibel Causeway approved by the county commission, which was extended from one month to two. That drove the chamber’s own Savor SanCap campaign.
“There’s an abundance mindset with this group. It’s a realization that a rising tide floats all boats,” Lai said. “They recognize the fact that getting people out to the islands to enjoy what we have to offer only creates fans.”
He explained that a visitor may come out to the islands for say ice cream one day, but that does not mean that the same visitor may not come out again for maybe seafood or Italian the next time.
“This is not a competition. The fact that they’re willing to collaborate the way they are,” Lai said. “The sharing of ideas is something that has to happen for this community to fully recover and rebound.”
He noted that the focus is not only on marketing and drawing customers though.
“It’s a group that discusses opportunities and challenges,” Lai said, explaining that as new restaurants come online and join the collaboration, there is networking, updates on hiring and staff, and more.
“There are opportunities to not overlap one another’s events and to better serve the community,” he added. “So it’s serving multiple purposes through this one group.”
Youngquist reported that in the early post-Ian days, one thing that they did was compare notes on who was open and when in order to try and share the limited customer base. If one restaurant planned to close for a day, another may decide to stay open. They also shared updates, like when hotels or condos reopened, to get the word out.
“We really worked together as a cohesive group,” she said.
For Russo and his wife and co-owner, Leanna, it was the unknown in those early days. New restaurateurs, they opened in 2022 at the tail end of the pandemic and months before Ian.
“We didn’t know what normal is. When we’re having the conversations, it’s really refreshing to hear from these more seasoned owners,” he said, noting that the sharing of information helped to keep them grounded. “Maybe we are doing all the right things, and maybe it’s just a matter of market changes.”
Russo added that most operators on the islands are single-building mom-and-pop places and do not have the resources to collect data like the large operations. They may be unsure about approaching Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille or Youngquist to ask questions about percentage growths and reservations.
“You start second-guessing yourself when things go up and down,” he said, explaining that the group provides an open platform for discussion. “Having this forum allows people to ask the questions.”
Youngquist reported that she gets just as much from it as a seasoned owner with multiple restaurants.
“Just because I have my resources doesn’t mean I can’t learn new things — that doesn’t mean I have less problems,” she said, explaining that they all are trying to keep their doors open and staff employed and that she has gotten advice on banking, advertising and such. “I’m always looking for new ideas.”
Youngquist added that the group’s members help one another.
“We let our guard down and share our problems — I think it’s inspiring, and we’re all in it together,” she said. “It makes you feel like you’re not out there all alone.”
Russo echoed that camaraderie.
“Being able to share the stories so someone can make better business decisions,” he said of building those relationships. “We’re leaning on each other, and we feel like we’re part of a community.”
As of Aug. 25, about 75% of the restaurants were open between Sanibel and Captiva, according to the chamber’s figures. Also, about 69% of retail operations and 69% of accommodations have opened.
Lai noted that the initial forecasting was four to five years, but business recovery is over 50%.
“To be sitting here at the three-year mark,” he said. “We are further ahead from where we expected.”
Lai explained that the present challenges are macro-economics, with tourism being a big one.
“We are fighting for our fair share of tourism,” he said, pointing to the increased efforts at the local, regional and state levels that the chamber is competing against after the storms in recent years.
In response, the chamber will push a campaign similar to Savor SanCap.
“To get folks out to the islands,” Lai said, explaining that it will launch in September and run through Thanksgiving. “It’s reminding locals to come out and support the islands and all we have to offer.”
“The beauty of this fall is none of the restaurants are closing for the entire month of September, like they did pre-Ian,” he added. “But what that does is it creates a stronger need for local support.”
Youngquist reported that the campaign will also help to address some of the messaging still out there.
“It’s the perfect time to come out and enjoy the islands,” she said. “It’s quiet, and we need your business.”
Russo reported that the group continues to work together to bring awareness and people to the islands.
“We’re seeing true, open, candid discussions about what the issues are,” he said, explaining that a newer element to the group is engaging with city officials as a collective group of stakeholders.
“If the islands are doing better, we’ll do better,” Russo added.
Youngquist shared that sentiment.
“We all want to be successful together, with the same common goal,” she said, adding that the goal is to provide a great experience for visitors and vacationers to the islands and the community itself.
Sanibel and Captiva businesses that are not yet members and want more information about joining the restaurant roundtable group can contact chamber Communications and Marketing Manager Jade Nakonetschny at jade@sanibel-captiva.org or 239-472-1080 or Russo pasquale@tuttipazzisanibel.com.
To reach TIFFANY REPECKI / trepecki@breezenewspapers.com, please email