One of the first restaurants on Fort Myers Beach was called Nettie’s. Located on the beach at the end of what is now Palermo Drive, Nettie’s was a popular place for sunbathers, fishermen, and anyone else who was spending the day on the island. The restaurant was opened by Nettie (Antoinette) Pavese shortly after the Depression and was well known for serving some of the best Italian food in Lee County. The structure was damaged in the 1947 hurricane and rebuilt as “Nattie’s Bar.” However, in the early 1950s, the building was completely destroyed. After “Nettie’s Bar” was demolished, Nettie’s daughter, Rose, and her husband, Eddie Pacelli built the Surf Club on the same property, but instead of a wooden structure on the gulf, they built a large concrete building facing Estero Blvd. The Surf Club was a bar and liquor store for many years, surviving both Hurricane Donna and Hurricane Charley. In 2010, the Surf Club was renamed the “Mermaid” and still stands today.
