Point Ybel Brewing Co. has a motto: Inspired by Sanibel, crafted in Fort Myers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Soon, the 12-year-old brewery will add a new location on the western end of downtown Fort Myers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Named for the easternmost point of Sanibel, where the lighthouse overlooks San Carlos Bay, Point Ybel Brewing Co. is finishing interior construction on a satellite brewpub expected to open in March.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The new location will occupy about 2,300 square feet at 2180 W. First St., across a hallway from a new Chocolattes coffee shop.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The beer brand has grown significantly since 2013, when owner Jordan Weisberg began brewing beer at his then-Sanibel Island home. Sanibel regulations prohibit distribution of beer brewed on the island, prompting the company to officially launch off-island at 16120 San Carlos Blvd. in south Fort Myers, where its headquarters will remain.\u00a0<\/p>\n
New brewery equipment is being installed at the original location while renovations continue at the downtown brewpub.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were just deciding to expand,\u201d said Weisberg, a former Sanibel resident who moved to Fort Myers after Hurricane Ian. \u201cWe\u2019ve had a lot of people who have wished we were closer to downtown. We finally found the right spot and the right opportunity.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The new brewpub will be located inside the Fortiner Building, developed by James S. Fortiner and O. Tom Macon in 1972. The site is across from the Publix grocery store at 2160 McGregor Blvd., in First Street Village.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beer will continue to be produced at the original location and transported to the downtown site along McGregor Boulevard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The brewpub will feature 17 taps, including two nitro taps and two Czech side-pull taps designed to enhance beer pours.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe love downtown,\u201d Weisberg said. \u201cWe\u2019re excited to be a part of it. We\u2019ve had a huge response that we\u2019re opening it. It\u2019s about double the size of our current location. We have a stage built for bands. We\u2019ll bring the same great live music that we have down here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Outdoor seating and signage mark the future site of Point Ybel Brewing Co.\u2019s downtown Fort Myers brewpub in the Fortiner Building. The new location will feature 17 taps and live music.<\/p>\n
David Dorsey<\/p>\n
Despite a nationwide decline in beer sales, Weisberg said he remains confident in the company\u2019s expansion. Beer sales fell about 5% in 2025, according to Barclays, whose analysts track the consumer goods sector.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s more of a market correction than I think it\u2019s a downward spiral in sales,\u201d Weisberg said. \u201cYou see a lot of restaurants open in one area, or a lot of something opening. The ones that stick around are the ones that have the best business plans. A lot just opened because of the boom. They weren\u2019t prepared with what happened to the market. They just thought a good marketing plan would work.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNow that there are so many great breweries, everyone knows what a good beer tastes like. Beer is a luxury item. If you\u2019re going to spend $7 to $9 on a beer, it had better be a really good one. People are choosing where they\u2019re going to spend their calories and their money on. I feel the same way as any other consumer.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Weisberg said he expects the satellite brewpub to open by the end of March.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sanibel Light and Snook Bite IPA remain the brewery\u2019s top sellers, with offerings ranging from light beers and stouts to seltzers and ales.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve stood the test of time,\u201d Weisberg said. \u201cPeople love our beer.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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