Stet Howland, who as a drummer has an affinity for heavy metal music, bought a longtime Fort Myers dive bar and then transformed it into a haven for rock and roll.

Stet’s Bar, 1926 Winkler Ave., across U.S. 41 from Floor & Decor, operates out of what originally was built as a house in 1947 and had the same ownership as a bar called Winkler House since 1987.

Then Howland bought the Winkler House business for about $50,000, leasing the space from property owner REIKO Inc. Seven months ago, Howland began taking a more hands-on approach to Stet’s Bar, booking rock bands.

This weekend could be one of his biggest shows yet, with Enuff Z’Nuff, a band that enjoyed some MTV airplay in the late 1980s and early 1990s, scheduled to play concerts the evenings of Jan. 11-12. Ticket prices cost $25. The $50 VIP seats sold out.

The concert venue looks like an oversized garage, and it’s a separate building behind the bar. Howland had used it for about 14 years for band rehearsals and as a recording studio.

“I took the bar over about seven months ago,” said Howland, who still drums for Metal Church and will be doing some shows this spring with former Dokken guitarist George Lynch. “I went full steam on bringing in national acts.”

The venue has room for fewer than 300 people, plus an elevated loft, which means Howland has to book bands that are big enough to draw a crowd — but not too big of a crowd.

Stairway to Halen, a tribute band that plays Led Zeppelin and Van Halen songs, is scheduled for Feb. 15.

Howland knows he can’t book Guns N’ Roses. But last year he did book Gilby Clarke, who used to play guitar for Guns N’ Roses.

“I can only do what I can do with the size of my venue,” Howland said. “We’ve got to make it just right. It’s not fancy, but it’s cool. The whole thing is from the heart.”

Because the bar and venue sit at the end of a residential neighborhood, Stet’s Bar concerts have to end by 10 p.m. because of the noise.

Winkler House regulars are now Stet’s Bar regulars, as Howland made a point to keep their traditions in place. Howland knows he’s not going to make a fortune running a dive bar, where beers cost $4 to $5 on regular nights and $6 to $7 on concert nights, so he diversifies his income.

“I’ve got multiple investments,” Howland said. “I’ve got stocks. I’ve got crypto. I’ve got a bunch of different things.”

And now he has Stet’s Bar.

“It’s a dive bar,” Howland said. “That’s what it is. And it’s a charm. I’ve fixed the place up a lot. It’s awesome.”