Lemmer family, operators of Nervous Nellie’s, acquire building and land for $8.25 million
The Lemmer family, who have operated Nervous Nellie’s on Fort Myers Beach since 2014, have acquired the building, land and docks for $8.25 million.
“We had the opportunity to do it,” said Tyler Lemmer, who operates the bayside business along with his father Len, and sisters Erin and Kiera.
“It kind of presented itself and we jumped at it,” Lemmer said.
The family bought the Nervous Nellie’s business in 2014 and took over operations. They leased out the property, which fronts a group of boat docks overlooking Matanzas Pass. The building is located on First Street, just off Old San Carlos Boulevard, next to Snug Harbor Waterfront Restaurant.
After Hurricane Ian, Lemmer’s family was responsible for making the capital improvements for the interior to get the restaurant back up and running. Luckily, the structure held up surprisingly well despite facing the water and taking on a lot of flooding. Lemmer said family’s insurance took care of the costs, whie the owner of the property repaired the roof and took care of structural issues. The property was sold by Old Seaport Place, Inc., which previously held the property as the sole owner of record, represented by its President, James Figuerado, Jr. The property features the 8,718 square-foot, two-story commercial building constructed in 2003. Nervous Nellie’s offers indoor and open-air seating, enhanced by a 2,254 square-foot brick and tile patio added in 2023.
“Now we own the real estate,” Lemmer said. “Now we own the docks.”
The Lemmer family believes in the future of Fort Myers Beach, as evidenced by the acquisition.
“It’s a long-term investment.” Lemmer said. Lemmer sees the properties facing the bay as having a bright future. He referenced the approvals that have been given to the owners of Moss Marina to construct a hotel, to be known as Arches Bayfront, which is located close to their property.
Nervous Nellie’s is not the only property the family owns in the county. They also operate Cantina Laredo in Fort Myers, and Walk-On’s Sports Bistreau in Cape Coral.
Nervous Nellie’s, Lemmer said, takes pride in their offering of generous portions while being “not the most expensive.” Lemmer said the family has scaled down the family in recent years to focus on their seafood, steak and sandwich options. Popular dishes included the lobster grilled cheese, coconut fried grouper and seafood pasta.
Future plans include covering the patio to use it year-round. The restaurant is located adjacent to Bayside Veterans Park, which features free musical entertainment every Friday evening.
“The sky is the limit” for Fort Myers Beach, Lemmer said. “There was a point where things got crazy with the real estate prices, but they have settled down a bit.”
The Lemmer family, who have operated Nervous Nellie’s on Fort Myers Beach since 2014, have acquired the building, land and docks at the Old San Carlos Boulevard property for $8.25 million.
Photos by Nathan Mayberg
To reach NATHAN MAYBERG, please email nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com