A Story of Place, People, and Purpose

There’s something about Fort Myers Beach that’s hard to explain unless you’ve felt it.

The Gulf has a way of calling people.
And when it calls… you hear it.

Some come for a week.
Some come for a season.
Some stay six months and one day, year after year.
And before they even realize it, this place becomes part of them.

Santini Plaza has always been one of those places where that feeling lives.

A Place That Calls You Back

For decades, Santini Plaza has been more than just a collection of shops — it’s been a gathering place. A starting point. A familiar return.

It’s where mornings begin with coffee, afternoons drift into shopping and laughter, and evenings carry that soft, salt-air kind of peace you can’t quite find anywhere else.

And at the center of it all are the people who have chosen — again and again — to build something here.

Not just businesses.

But belonging.

The Islander: Part of the Island’s Heartbeat

At the core of Santini is The Islander — a place that has long been woven into the rhythm of the island.

Owned by Anita, whose presence extends far beyond just one storefront, her influence can be felt throughout Santini and beyond. As the owner of Pier Peddler and Local Color, she represents something deeper than business ownership.

She represents continuity.

She is part of how the island’s heart beats — steady, resilient, and always moving forward.

Anita is also deeply passionate about every aspect of Estero Island and the Town of Fort Myers Beach — not just as a business owner, but as someone who truly cares about its people, its future, and the preservation of what makes this place so special.

Leani’s: Built on Spirit, Carried Forward

Right alongside that heartbeat is Leani’s.

Owned by Carrie, Leani’s is more than a boutique — it’s an extension of her spirit.

A place built on the idea that happiness can be created, shared, and passed along… even in the smallest ways.

Even if that means starting again with nothing but a few flooded grains of sand.

Carrie and her team don’t just run a store — they carry a commitment:

That Leani’s will last.
That it will continue to bring joy.
That it will remain part of the experience people remember when they think of this place.

Not just for today — but well beyond.

Carrie has also become a strong anchor of knowledge and communication within and around Santini Plaza — helping connect people, ideas, and energy as the south end continues to rebuild and grow. Seeking the Santini Plaza Calendar of events click here for the calendar at FMBsouth.com

Hurricane Ian: A Chapter That Changed Everything

Estero Island has seen storms before.

Hurricanes have come and gone, and the island has always stood back up.

But Hurricane Ian was different.

It left a kind of devastation that isn’t just measured in buildings or timelines.

It left a feeling.

A weight that still lingers for many who lived it.

And for those visiting today — especially those discovering Fort Myers Beach for the first time — it’s easy not to realize what stood here, what was lost, and what it took to come back.

Because what you see now isn’t just a plaza.

It’s a rebuild.

It’s resilience.

It’s people choosing to return, rebuild, and reopen… not because it was easy, but because this place mattered too much not to.