The future of Bonita Bill’s is becoming clearer.
The iconic come-as-you-are waterfront restaurant, recently sold and closed after business on Jan. 5, will be reimagined and renamed Bonita Fish Company.
HM Restaurant Group, which owns neighboring Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille and Dixie Fish Company, purchased the San Carlos Island gem and its properties at 700, 702, 716 and 718 Fishermans Wharf on Fort Myers Beach for $5.5 million.
On June 12, 2024, it was announced that Bonita Bill’s properties and business are for sale on Fort Myers Beach.
“We’re excited to embrace the tradition and history of this exceptional property and its reputation of fresh fish and seafood, great food and drinks and unbeatable views,” Joe Harrity, partner with the restaurant group, said in a news release.
“So many people have fond memories of Bonita Bill’s and one of our goals with Bonita Fish Company is to preserve that and continue to be a go-to place for tourists and locals alike.”
New name has a history
The name itself is a huge nod to the building’s past. Originally a fish house in 1926, the Bonita Fish Company and Fish House was bought by Bill Semmer in 1991 and rebranded as Bonita Bill’s Waterfront Cafe and Tiki Bar.
It quickly became a beloved community gathering spot known for cold beer, good food, live music, a laid-back vibe and unbeatable waterfront views of Matanzas Pass.
After Bill’s death on Jan. 20, 2023, the restaurant and property went to his children Nikki Semmer, Katie Semmer-Reynolds and Billy Semmer.
The loss of Bill and a pummeling from Hurricane Ian four months prior, plus “the uphill battle of costly repairs and construction, rising operating, labor, and food costs, and a changing market,” led to the decision to sell, a summer post on Bonita Bill’s Facebook page stated.
The owners of Doc Ford’s, pictured, and Dixie Fish Co. bought neighboring Bonita Bill’s on Fort Myers Beach.
“Our goal is to create a place that pays tribute to the cherished memories made at Bonita Bill’s and also invites new generations to create their own,” Harrity said in the news release.
The restaurant will remain closed while renovations — “that retain the rustic charm and character locals and visitors have come to love” — are underway.
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Once they are complete, Bonita Fish Company will open sometime in the first half of 2025.
The future of the Bertram yacht perched on a dock next to Bonita Bill’s courtesy of Hurricane Ian was not addressed in the news release. Hundreds of customers had signed their names on and taken selfies next to it since the restaurant reopened six months after the storm.
Bonita Bill’s is a converted 1926 fish house on San Carlos Island.
Originally listed for sale at $7.98 million back in June, the property had dropped to a $6.9 million asking price. The expected repair cost of the dock reportedly helped drive the price down to $5.5 million.
When Bonita Fish Company does open though, expect “a fresh, coastal-inspired menu, featuring local seafood, creative dishes, and a continuation of the warm hospitality for which the group is known.”
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“(It) will feature the same gracious hospitality and exceptional food Doc Ford’s and Dixie Fish Company are known for,” Harrity concluded in the release.
Robyn George is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. Connect at rhgeorge@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Bonita Bill’s owners will renovate, rename iconic Fort Myers Beach gem
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