Residents of Lehigh Acres are eager for more retail and sit-down restaurants in their community. Despite rising demand, local restaurants and stores have yet to follow the influx of new families moving to the area.
Errol Reid, who attended a WINK Listens event, said, "I would like to see a nice restaurant."
Karen Rock, another attendee, added, "Stores, restaurants."
Esmerelda Marks echoed the sentiment, saying, "I would like to see a restaurant, a nice restaurant."
Reid emphasized the inconvenience, saying, "Just to go to a restaurant, 45 minutes?"
Rock pointed out the lack of essential amenities, stating, "Anything that you really need. We don't have it here in Lehigh."
WINK News spoke with Jay Johnson, owner of Bubba's Roadhouse & Saloon in Cape Coral and leader of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association's Lee County Chapter. Johnson explained why Lehigh Acres isn't attracting new restaurants despite the growing population.
"I think a lot of it in Lehigh has to do with the demographics and that the people are there, but most of the people that live in Lehigh work in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, and because of that, there's a lack of lunch business, and that has a big part of not being able to support a full-service restaurant," said Johnson.
Johnson noted that restaurant groups and national chains typically look for disposable income, easy access, and other attractions to justify opening a location.
Lee County records indicate commercial projects like Blackstone Corporate Park off State Road 82, Gateway Marketplace near Daniels and Treeline, and Sunniland Town Center at Lee and Sunniland Boulevard are in development. These projects promise new spaces for stores and dining.
As infrastructure such as roads and utilities expand, opportunities for investors who may have previously overlooked Lehigh increase.
Johnson shared his optimism, saying, "And I think if we get one to two good restaurants close together, more will come to that area."
For Lehigh Acres families, the hope is that these new gathering places will soon be just down the road instead of hours away.
The Lehigh Acres Chamber of Commerce told WINK News that the area's rapid growth has outpaced its infrastructure. With half of East Lee County below the poverty line, the chamber chairman believes new roads and a future technical college will be crucial for attracting more retail and dining options.