New restaurants, bars and shops are scheduled to open over the next two years at Southwest Florida International Airport, and the brands have been announced.
Next year will bring Key Lime Bistro, Starbucks, The Boat House or Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille, Popeyes chicken, Shula Burger and Stellar.
In 2026, Sanibel Market, Coastal Expressions, Ford’s Garage, Starbucks, Gulf Coast Provisions and Air Margaritaville are scheduled to open.
Sanibel Marketplace and The Lego store opened in December 2023.
Recent days and months have seen the openings of A Day at the Beach gift shop and Relay, which sells travel essentials and Norman Love chocolates.
Fort Myers Brewing Co. opened a bar and restaurant Nov. 6 in Concourse D.
Carolyn Langdon, Lee County Port Authority director of concessions, and Stephen Freibrun, a senior consultant with ICF, which advises airports on commercial strategies, presented the future offerings during a workshop held Nov. 7 for Board of Port Commissioners, who double as Lee County commissioners.
The new Terminal E expansion project will include about 37,000 square feet of new retail space, Langdon said.
“These contracts represent a 54% increase in square footage from where we started in 2022,” Langdon said. “That is a massive undertaking and a huge increase in opportunity for our concessions program. We need to do this in a phased approach with minimal impacts to the passenger.
“We can continue to offer provisions to the passenger, so they can continue to have a positive experience, while we are still doing our remodels.”
In mid-December, Seaside Mercantile is scheduled to open in Concourse D. It will offer clothing, a deli and Norman Love chocolates.
Two Great American Bagel restaurants are in permitting, one for Concourse D and another for Concourse B.
Freibrun advised RSW to negotiate directly with operators rather than undergo a more expansive bidding process.
“It allows you to negotiate directly for the brands that you want,” Freibrun said. “On the other side of the spectrum is the open solicitation process, which you have gone through in the past. That can come with administrative difficulties. You could end up with brands you don’t desire.
“We recommend and suggest the best solution for you is a direct negotiation. Because you have the ability to achieve the brands you want. It allows you to continue your strong partnerships you have today.”
Getting the right mix of regional, national and international tenants becomes important, Freibrun said, noting about 45% of travelers are local — meaning 55% are not.
Getting the right mix of offerings makes for success.
“The market is really changing,” Freibrun said. “There’s been a lot of consolidation. So, the market is shrinking.”
