Bob Evans bows out of Bonita Springs

Bob Evans on Bonita Beach Road has been closed because of “performance standards,” and is up for sale for approximately $2 million. The 5,300-square-foot space accommodated 130 customers.

Bonita Springs residents and visitors no longer are able to get their eggs, bacon and pancakes at the Bob Evans on Bonita Beach Road.

The restaurant, which is the second to close in Bonita Springs this year, shut its doors a few weeks ago.

“We did close that restaurant last month due to performance standards,” said Bob Evans spokesperson Jamie Chabra.

The restaurant not only closed but put up hurricane shutters and is on the market for approximately $2 million.

“It’s a great space and we are listing it to see what happens,” said Al Molin, a senior associate with CBRE CB Richard Ellis.
Molin says Bob Evans in Bonita Springs is in line with a few other restaurants that closed in Florida.

But Chabra wouldn’t disclose specifics as to why it closed.

“Our company policy doesn’t allow us to talk about specific reasons why we closed but we do evaluate a lot of aspects,” Chabra said.

The restaurant accommodated 130 customers in 5,300 square feet and had been in Bonita Springs for years.

“It’s all based on things like making sure that we are delivering cohesive customer service, financial things and we evaluate each location individually,” she said.

During the evaluation process, Bob Evans, which is headquartered in Ohio, decides to relocate, remodel, or retire a location.

“Unfortunately we had to close it in this case,” Chabra said. “We have no current plans to close any other locations.

There are other Bob Evans restaurants in Naples, Fort Myers, North Fort Myers and Cape Coral. There are 579 throughout the United States.

“The Naples location is being evaluated as all our restaurants and we know our customers will get good food and service there,” Chabra said. “We encourage them to go there instead.”

Bob Evans also owns and operates 115 Mimi’s Café Restaurants in 20 states.

There is one in the area — in south Fort Myers at Bell Tower shopping center.

Bonita Bay bikers cancel ride of silence due to bad weather

The Bonita Bay Bike Club’s Annual Ride of Silence this year was canceled because of rainy weather but members still gathered and paid their respects to those killed or injured while cycling on public roadways.

“It’s an important night and we will do this over a drink instead,” said Jack Heckel, of the Bonita Bay Bike Club.

He and club members and friends met at Back Water Jacks inside of Bonita Bay because rainy weather made road conditions dangerous.

“It’s a night to promote safety as well and I didn’t want us to ride on wet and slippery roads where we are trying to show safety,” Heckel said.

The Ride of Silence is an event in which cyclists across the globe spend one night riding no faster than 12 mph and remain silent during the ride.

“Everyone injured or killed is honored and we wear a black band on our arm,” said Heckel, who has organized the event for several years.

The event is held during Bike Safety month and is also meant to create awareness among motorists, police and city officials that cyclists have a right to the public roadways as well.

Heckel said last year 41 riders were lost to accidents.

Sheridan Fenwick, of Bonita Springs, lost her husband two years ago during a bicycle accident near Miromar Outlet.

“He was riding on the sidewalk and Lee County’s negligence in maintaining their pathway killed him,” she said.

Her husband, Worth Bruntjen, 67, was riding with Heckel leading but Bruntjen took an alternate trail through mud and fell, injuring what he thought was only his elbow. He died later that night.

“We need to let people know that accidents happen and that maintaining sidewalks is just as important as streets,” said Fenwick. “Lee County should have put cones or signs on that sidewalk and that’s what this ride is about.”

The event is free and everyone is invited, including the 125 members of the bike club.

“It’s essentially a funeral procession,” Heckel said.

PHOTOS: Housing slump clears way for remodeling jobs

These pictures ran on the cover of the Sunday Growth section with a story about companies using their man power to do home improvement projects during a real estate slump that has slowed new construction projects.


(left) Hubert Hughes and Anthony Stott of D. B. & Sons replace rotted wood and apply new siding to an existing home in Naples during the current real estate slump that has led companies to use their man power for smaller home improvement jobs.


Scott Shevchenko of D.B. & Sons measures siding to be applied to an existing home in Naples.

Saving Vision: Lions Club dedicate new building

This story originally ran in the weekly and was reprinted with photos in Local & State on May 28, 2007 in the Cape Coral edition of the daily paper.


Incoming president Whitney Ellis, right, immediate past president Gordon Hare, and current president John Elliff cut the ribbon at a ceremony to dedicate the new Bonita Springs Lions Club building.


The Bonita Springs Lions Club is opening a new eye clinic that will be free to those in need. The equipment was paid for by a $2,500 grant from the Bonita Springs Community Foundation.


The opening of a new eye clinic in the heart of Bonita Springs is sure to be saving the vision of hundreds thanks to the efforts of Bonita Springs Lions Club.

The club recently dedicated a $450,000 building that will house the eye clinic, an expanded new space for the assistance office and new offices for the Lions Charities.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to help the community,” said John Elliff, the current president of the Bonita Springs Lions Club. “The eye clinic in itself is something to be proud of.”

Although Elliff’s reign as president ends on Thursaday, he oversaw the majority of the construction of the 3,400-square foot building that began in August of 2005.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity and its been a dream of our membership ...,” said Elliff, about the building that was to be completed in six months. It took longer because of permitting and licensing for the clinic.

“The eye clinic will be self-contained and incorporated but run by the Lions Club because of insurance reasons,” Elliff said.

One of the benefits is that the building has been paid for and that will free monies that the club can use for other endeavors.

The money was raised by members of the Lions and through grants from various organizations.

“Originally deceased Lions gave us money and we had a nest egg to start off with and then we got a grant from the International organization,” said Gordon Hare, the immediate past president of the club. “It’s been amazing that everything worked out so well.”

The building was further paid for by a $25,000 grant from the Southwest Florida Community Foundation and the eye clinic was equipment was purchased with $2,500 from the Bonita Springs Community Foundation.

But Hare says the eye clinic will be the focal use for the building since the clubs focus has always been on sight.

“The building has a lot of space with 1,000 for the assistance office and 800 for the eye clinic ... but our focus is on the eyes,” said Hare about the clinic that will be free to people in the community that can’t afford it.

The Lions are a worldwide organization known for working to end preventable blindness.