In the News

David Dorsey | Gulfshore Business Published October 15, 2025 Captiva Island Inn begins $6M rebuild after Hurricane Ian Sandy Stilwell Youngquist almost shed tears when asked about her beloved Captiva cottages. She did not want to raze the historic Captiva Island Inn’s wood-frame structures after they were destroyed by Hurricane Ian. After surveying the wreckage in 2022 and meeting with Lee County’s Historic Preservation Board, the restaurant and inn owner decided to demolish most of the original buildings. She had owned the property since 1999. On Oct. 15, Stilwell Youngquist and her redevelopment team celebrated the groundbreaking of what will become the new-look and more resilient Captiva Island Inn. The rebuilding project will boost her total from five back to 15 units. Stevens Construction is managing the project, and MHK Architecture designed it. “It’s been a wild ride is all I can say,” Stilwell Youngquist said. “When we got to the island after Hurricane Ian and saw the devastation, it was heartbreaking. And I’m getting choked up, because that’s how hard it was, to realize we had to tear it down.” Only the Gardenia unit on the ground floor and Lantana on the second floor of the two-story cottage adjacent to Keylime Bistro remain at 11508 Andy Rosse Lane. She also owns the nearby, two-unit Celebration House and Harbour House. Keylime Bistro, RC Otter’s Island Eats, Sunshine Seafood Cafe and Wine Bar and Cantina Captiva are also on part of Stilwell Enterprises & Restaurant Group’s roster on Captiva. Latte Da, an ice cream and coffee shop, is on track to reopen Nov. 1, she said. The rebuilt Captiva Island Inn will have two new, five-unit buildings. The one on the south side of Andy Rosse Lane and behind Keylime Bistro will have a [...]

Camila Pereira | WINK News Published October 15, 2025 SUNSHINE SEAFOOD CAFÉ &Captiva Island Inn breaks ground, rebuilds stronger years after Hurricane Ian Captiva Island Inn is finally making a comeback after being destroyed by Hurricane Ian three years ago. The inn broke ground on Wednesday, marking the start of its reconstruction. Sandy Stilwell Youngquist, CEO and owner of Captiva Island Inn, remembered the destruction caused by Ian. "It was heartbreaking," she said. "The first day we came on the island was two days after the hurricane, and we came by boat, and we walked our way down the street full of muck. It was just devastation all over the place." Despite the damage, Youngquist shared a silver lining. "Every single restaurant was able to be saved, but some of the buildings were not that were part of the inn, and so that's why we're celebrating," she said. The construction of the inn is the first ground-up accommodation project on Captiva since Hurricane Ian. This new version promises to be more resilient against future storms. Mark Stevens, president of Stevens Construction, emphasized the change in approach following the storm. "Hurricane Ian changed our entire thinking," he said. "As builders and design teams, we need to rethink how we're building buildings." Stevens Construction plans to elevate the inn and support it with concrete to withstand storm surges, high winds, and flooding. "They have over 100 pilings in the ground, over 20 feet deep, that will support the structure of the building and all the way up," Stevens said. "Previously, none of that underground work really existed. So that's what ultimately washed a lot of these buildings away." While Stevens focuses on the rebuild, Youngquist is excited about running the place again. "Greeting [...]

THE KEYLIME BISTRO CELEBRATES ITS 2OTH ANNIVERSARY WITH AN EMERALD RING GIVEAWAY The lively, tropical-themed American restaurant gave away an emerald ring to a lucky winner. May 18, 2021, Captiva Island, Fl: As part of an extraordinary celebration of The Keylime Bistro’s 20th anniversary this June, Stilwell Enterprises and Restaurant Group gave one lucky winner an emerald and diamond ring. Why an Emerald Ring? Emeralds are the traditional 20th-anniversary gift because they consist of chromium, which gives it the green color and brilliant shine, and trace amounts of iron, which provides it with a unique strength to stand the test of time. These qualities in the stone represent the strength, depth, financial health, and endurance of a successful long-term commitment. About Keylime Bistro Keylime Bistro is owned and operated by Stilwell Enterprises and Restaurant Group headquartered in Fort Myers, FL. Keylime Bistro is open from 8am – 10pm, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guests may dine inside, outside, and enjoy the fresh air and Florida sunshine or order food and beverages to go. The Keylime Bistro offers live music daily and a full-service bar. It is conveniently located in the very heart of the historic Olde Captiva village, making it easy for its customers to enjoy various activities. Enjoy a short walk over to fine shops, fabulous restaurants, art galleries, an old-style general store, and, most notably, it is just a short 360 step stroll to the Captiva Island beach, which has one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world. Learn About Keylime Bistro Restaurant

How Andy Rosse Lane became a dining destination on Captiva. Captiva Island's restaurants share many similarities: Gulf seafood, cocktails, breezy patios. Five of them share an entrepreneurial owner, as well. Gina Birch | Special to The News-Press Published 11:02 a.m. ET Aug. 18,2020 This has been the summer of canceled vacations. With many staying closer to home, destination dining is seeing a boom in popularity. Venturing outside of the circle of convenience that surrounds your home or business, while still remaining in your backyard, opens up options that are often overlooked under normal circumstances. And there is little normal about the current world. Southwest Florida is known for its barrier islands, which are ripe and ready for culinary exploration, including captivating Captiva. An island that is mostly residential and resort, if there was a downtown Captiva, it would be along Andy Rosse Lane, a shady, shell-lined street that dead ends at the Gulf of Mexico. Home to a small grocer, galleries and vacation rentals, the majority of restaurants on this lazy strip, as well as Captiva in general, are owned by hospitality guru Sandy Stilwell Youngquist. She's the woman behind Latte Da, RC Otter’s Island Eats, Cantina Captiva and Sunshine Seafood Café & Wine Bar. The 18-year-old Keylime Bistro, though, is her anchor. Having owned Keylime since 2002, Youngquist has weathered quite a few storms (hurricanes, oil spills, red tide) but none have hit quite like COVID-19. “One day you’re ordering food, stocking for full service and then boom, no notice, we are shut down, takeout only,” Youngquist says. At the same time, vacation rentals were suspended on the island, further strangling the restaurant’s already modest takeout operations. No guests, no business. “At one point we were the only place [...]

Owner marks 20th year at historical inn April 30, 2019 By TIFFANY REPECKI, Island Reporter, Captiva Current, Sanibel-Captiva Islander Twenty years ago, Sandy Stilwell Youngquist was in the market to purchase another inn and was considering a place in Great Guana Cay in the Bahamas when chance led her in a different direction. "I always knew I wanted to own something on the islands," she said of Captiva and Sanibel. "I kind of kept my eyes peeled for the right opportunity," Stilwell Youngquist added. Raised in Lee County since the age of 2, she had owned two inns on Fort Myers Beach, which she later sold. Yet Stilwell Youngquist had always been attracted to the island lifestyle, particularly on Captiva. "We were boaters and I always came into South Seas," she said, citing 'Tween Waters as well. In 1999, as Stilwell Youngquist was working through the details of possibly buying the Bahamas inn, the opportunity she had been waiting for presented itself. The Captiva Island Inn went up for sale. "I just fell in love with Captiva and I bought it," she said, noting that it was a historic property. "I'm so glad I didn't buy the place down in the Bahamas," Stilwell Youngquist added. She purchased the inn, which only had six rooms at the time, from Rob and Cathy Degennero. "It was just a cute little bed and breakfast," Stilwell Youngquist said. "It was so small." Initially, she wondered how she was going to stay booked, but soon found that she was full most of the time. On the county's tax roll for the first time in 1950, the original site dates back at least 69 years. "Some of the units, they've been around for a long time," Stilwell Youngquist said. The land purchase [...]