Around Town:

The president of East Naples Civic Association, Tom Cannon, said it all! His motto is Shop in East Naples – support your local businesses! This is a tough time of year for all retail businesses, especially in these tight economic times. The ENCA wants to encourage all the residents to stay right here, shop right here. Our restaurants are small but wonderful; our businesses are mostly mom & pop with a few larger ones thrown in for good measure. Let’s help them survive the summer and shop here at home.

Alan Wittenauer (the greatest wallpaper hanger I know) and Karen Homiak & I noticed the sign in the Courthouse Shadows shopping complex, across from the government center and next to Albertson’s, that said “Amadors". We wondered it this was the same great Amadors that used to be on Bayshore Dr., so we decided to stop in for dinner. Yes it is, Folks! Richie Amador opened in what was the previous Donna’s sports bar. Same great food as we remembered, and apparently others have also seen the sign and investigated, because they have been busy since their sign went up. They are open 6 days a week for dinner and closed on Sunday. There is a full bar. The menu is extensive. They take all credit cards. Stop by……welcome him back to East Naples.

Saporito’s opened in the tiny place Amadors used to occupy on Bayshore. They have great food there as well. I try to get over there every so often to enjoy his delicious sauces.

A sign of progress – Lowe’s has begun installing the fence/wall that will separate their business from the residents of Eagle Creek. I spoke to the developer last week and he said they hope to start construction on the actual store in August. That means it should be open for business by Season. That’s good news for all in this area of the county.

Another good news item – the developer of the property along U.S.41 E., which we’ve all speculated might be a Super Target (and we still don’t know what it will actually be) has adjusted his plans. If you remember, I mentioned that they had planned a 65 ft. tall building very close to the road. They brought new, revised plans into my office last week. A much better plan, with the height now 27 ft. high, and the building about 35 ft from the road (instead of 25 ft), and thick landscaping to create an better ambience. And although the back of the building will face the street, it will be built to look like the front of the building. It sounds a lot better now. These plans are not approved by the Commissioners yet, so stay tuned. The developer also guaranteed that retail will be built in that location rather than storage units or car lots. Not that they’re bad, it’s just that we need retail shops, restaurants, places to go, things to do, and shopping areas for our residents so that we don’t have to travel to the north end of town, and also to serve the new communities that are popping up in our area.

I think I hear my Amish friends calling to me.