The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce was busy on Dec. 9 celebrating the reopening of two Captiva businesses following post-hurricane recovery efforts. Representatives held an 11 a.m. ribbon-cutting for Kingfisher Vacation Rentals and Real Estate, followed by one for the ‘Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa at noon.
“What a banner day it was for business on the islands to welcome these two iconic members back to livelihood,” chamber President and Chief Executive Officer John Lai said. “With the Sanibel mayor’s recent announcement that the causeway will open to non-pass holders on Jan. 2, it was a week to celebrate the islands’ comeback in real-time.”
Kingfisher’s second location on Captiva opened in the summer of 2021. Its original Sanibel location on Palm Ridge Road has been operating since 2017; the team hopes to reopen it by the end of January.
The majority of the Captiva office space is located on the second floor and was spared during the storm. Kingfisher Gallery and Gifts and the office’s garage sustained damage on the building’s first floor, which saw several feet of surge water. About 20 percent of the gift shop’s inventory plus golf carts and rental supplies were lost. The gift shop remains closed for now.
“We have a dedicated staff that hit the islands by boat just days after the storm,” Phaidra McDermott, co-owner with husband Jeff, said. “Our staff was able to clean out the affected areas of our office. We are happy to now serve Captiva owners and workers with free WiFi, printing, and cold water at our Captiva office.”
SANIBEL & CAPTIVA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce representatives were recently on hand on Captiva to celebrate back-to-back reopenings of Kingfisher Vacation Rentals and Real Estate and the ‘Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa with ribbon cuttings.
She added that the reopening marks an important moment for recovery and redevelopment.
“Real estate agents on Sanibel and Captiva have always played and will continue to play a much larger role than just facilitating the transactions of real property,” McDermott said. “We are community leaders and will stand as pillars of support for our clients, colleagues, friends, and families alike. Every day we experience the growing pains that recovering from such destruction will undoubtedly bring, but we also experience incredible progress.”
“Kudos to Kingfisher for its quick recovery time due to teamwork, long hours, and determined effort,” Lai said.
Thank You for Choosing Kingfisher Vacations in Sanibel and Captiva Islands, Florida
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