Sweet Tomatoes Returns

MOST PEOPLE HAVE FAVORITE FOODS AND LIKELY FAVORITE PLACES TO DINE OUT FOR THOSE FOODS. >> ONE OF THOSE LOCALLY HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR 5 YEARS. >> BUT IS REOPENING VERY SOON. IT SWEET TOMATOES. AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT SWEET TOMATOES, IT'S A WONDERFUL BUFFET. THE TEACHERS, SALADS AND SOUPS PASTAS DELICIOUS BREADS AND FREE ICE CREAM AND ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE THAT YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE IT. WE LOVE IT. AND OUR WGCU’S MIKE WALCHER HERE WITH THIS WEEK'S BUSINESS SEGMENT TO TELL US ABOUT THE REINCARNATION OF SWEET TOMATOES IN FORT MYERS. I WILL TELL YOU TO ME THIS IS BREAKING NEWS. THIS IS A LEAD STORY BECAUSE SO MANY OF US LOVE AND MISS OUR SWEET TOMATOES IN FORT MYERS. AND AND NOW IT'S FINALLY COMING PACK AND IT WILL BE OPENING SOON. AND YOU'RE MAKING US HUNGRY, RIGHT? AND AS A MATTER OF FACT. >> YOU KNOW, IT WAS SO POPULAR WITH THE FAMILIES BECAUSE THE ADULTS LOVED THE SOUPS AND SALADS. THE CHILDREN LOVE FREE ICE CREAM. AND NOW AS WE TOMATOES IS MAKING A DRAMATIC RETURN, A COMPANY BASED IN THE ORLANDO AREA BOUGHT UP THE RIGHTS AND HAS REOPENED ONE SWEET TOMATOES AND TUCSON, ARIZONA. THE WHOLE CHAIN CLOSED DOWN DURING COVID. THE FORMER OWNERS DECLARED BANKRUPTCY AND THAT WAS UP SOUTH. FORT MYERS IS OPENING NEXT. THE NEW OWNERS ARE REFURBISHING RENOVATING THE FORMER LOCATION ON US. 41 BETWEEN DANIELS AND GLADIOLUS. THEY'VE HIRED A MANAGER WHO IN TURN IS HIRING COOKS, CASHIERS, KITCHEN WORKERS. THE PUBLIC RELATIONS PERSON SAYS IT WILL BE SOON BEFORE A GRAND REOPENING HERE, BUT IT ALSO DEPENDS ON GETTING ALL THE NEEDED PERMITS FROM THE LEE COUNTY. WE TALK WITH 2 HUGE FANS OVER THE PLACE FULL AND ARE YOU ON A FORMER LEE COUNTY SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS AND MONROE MAPS, 90 YEARS OLD. FIRST YOUNG WHO SAYS SHE DINED HERE OFTEN WITH HER HUSBAND. >> I LIKE THE ICE CREAM IN THE SUNDAY'S AND SO DID HE. BUT WE LIKE THE SALADS. AND HE LIKE ALL THE ITALIAN FOODS, A SPAGHETTI AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. SO, YEAH, WE HAVE SOME GOOD MEMORIES HERE. >> WELL, I WILL ALWAYS GONE TO BUFFETS BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE I COULD BE ASSURED OF A GOOD SALAD BAR. AND I LIKE SALADS. I LIKE TO EAT HEALTHY AND THAT'S WHY I FOR THE RAIDERS AND THE THEIR FOOD. AND THEIR COFFEE HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY TASTY. >> I'M JUST VERY HAPPY TO SEE SWEET TOMATOES COMING BACK. I THINK OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS THAT. AND I THINK EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE HAPPY WHEN THEY FIND THE OPEN. >> WE CHECKED ON FLORIDA SUNDAY. IS THAT THE STATE'S BUSINESS REGISTRY? AND WE FOUND THAT THE NEW OWNERS HAVE BEEN OPERATING UNDER THE NAMES, ST 3, 4, LIMITED LIABILITY. CORPORATIONS. IT IS BELIEVED THEY HAVE TIES TO A PRIVATE INVESTMENT FIRM AND THE ORLANDO AREA, A FARM THAT IS KNOWN TO FOLLOW THE WARREN BUFFET STYLE. THAT IS INVEST LONG-TERM IN REAL QUALITY COMPANIES OR PRODUCTS AND IT SAYS A LOT OF JENNIFER THAT THE OWNERS BELIEVE. SO WE TOMATOES THAT'S END TO THAT. >> THAT CATEGORY IS CERTAINLY DOES. AND I KNOW FOR YEARS, MY FAMILY SO MANY FRIENDS, WE HAVE MANY MEMORIES OF THAT PARTICULAR SWEET TOMATOES. MANY TEAMS LEAGUES WOULD COME IN AND AND EVERYONE LOVES. >> EVERYONE LOVES SWEET TOMATOES AT OUR OUR WINTER TIME. VISITORS LOVE THE PLACE AS WELL. AND I CAN TELL YOU WE ARE CHECKING THE WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA EVERY DAY. AND WE WILL BRING YOU THE GRAND REOPENING DATE OF SOME IS THEY REVEAL IF YOU THINK THERE'S A CHANCE IT COULD BE OPEN IN TIME FOR MOTHER'S DAY. THAT'S A LITTLE BIT FAST. YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST NOT MUCH MORE THAN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AWAY OR 3 WEEKS. IT MAY BE A LITTLE LATER THAN THAT. WE'RE PUTTING SOMETIMES CAN COME TAKE A MOMENT. WE'LL KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED. AND THANKS FOR THIS UPDATE. ITS A HAPPY ONE. >> THANKS.