CHUCK BALLARO<\/p>\n
Rachael Kennedy, one of the new owners of Steve\u2019s Place at 5781 Bayshore Road, North Fort Myers.<\/p>\n
CHUCK BALLARO<\/p>\n
When Steve Sexton opened Steve\u2019s Place in 2019, he brought to North Fort Myers a place where locals can enjoy comfort food in a welcoming atmosphere.<\/p>\n
Sexton, however, is ready to retire. So, he sold the restaurant to two women who have aspirations of taking an already-excellent eatery to the next level.<\/p>\n
Sexton sold the restaurant to hospitality professional Rachael Kennedy and business professional Angie Cook on May 8.<\/p>\n
Sexton will stay on for a little while longer to ensure a smooth transition. But it\u2019s not like he\u2019s handing the reins over to rookies.<\/p>\n
Kennedy, whose parents also owned a restaurant in Ohio, brings more than 30 years of restaurant and hospitality experience, including the last 15 years at the\u00a0Pizza Pub in Fort Myers.<\/p>\n
She said she had been looking for a place for a couple years when she found Steve\u2019s and fell in love.<\/p>\n
\u201cI walked in and it was like the perfect little country, good-vibes place. Everyone is happy and Steve has a great reputation with the community,\u201d Kennedy said. \u201cI ate breakfast here the first day and said \u2018This might be it.’\u201d<\/p>\n
Cook also brings more than three decades of experience in business operations, organizational management, and client relations.<\/p>\n
The name will stay the same, as will the comfort food, warm atmosphere, and menu favorites such as the \u201cHoosier\u201d pork tenderloin sandwich and the chicken for which the restaurant is famous. But the restaurant will undergo some changes. Most noteworthy is the plan to expand dishes and offer breakfast seven days a week instead of the three that Sexton had.<\/p>\n
Kennedy said she is already trying some different things that she made herself.<\/p>\n
\u201cI made homemade Sloppy Joes and pasta salad and the other day I made Cream of Chicken over biscuits,\u201d Kennedy said. \u201cThe items on the current menu are staying, but we\u2019re adding our own touches.\u201d<\/p>\n
Their goal is to continue making Steve\u2019s Place a year-round, community-centered dining destination in North Fort Myers, Kennedy said.<\/p>\n
Sexton said after owning restaurants for 30 years, it was time to slow down after working this 24\/7\/365 career.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m kind of helping out until they don\u2019t need me anymore, which is coming pretty soon,\u201d Sexton said. \u201cThey\u2019re doing a great job. They don\u2019t need me around. It\u2019s been a great career, but enough is enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
Prior to Steve\u2019s Place, Sexton was the owner of the\u00a0Alva Country Diner\u00a0from 1996 to 2017, where he built a reputation for southern country cooking, hospitality, and community connection over several decades in the restaurant industry.<\/p>\n
There will be new hours starting July 1, Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.<\/p>\n
Steve\u2019s Place is at 5781 Bayshore Road, North Fort Myers. For more information, go to Stevesplaceswfl.com or call 239-800-5051.<\/p>\n