Shawn & Tony's Kitchen in Fort Myers is closing permanently.
After closing on Friday, May 31, Shawn Leiva will no longer be preparing orders for tostadas, berry bowls, lunch plates and Cuban sandwiches at 8359 Beacon Blvd.
And Tony Clark isn't going to be up early in the morning whipping up quirky social media posts or mouthwatering desserts.
There will be no more shouted hellos or goodbye hugs at The Gathering Place's former home, Beacon Executive Suites Business Park, a former nursing home turned retirement home.
“Sometimes you just need to see the signs and move on,” Clark said in a social media post Tuesday morning. “It's been a great decade. Thank you all.”
“We've been doing this for 10 years.”
A post from the previous day pointed to “the condition of the building” as the reason for the closure.
“I can't stand this building anymore,” Clark said in a post on Tuesday. “The situation… is just not tolerable anymore.”
When Shawn & Tony's Kitchen opened on March 20, 2023, it was a scaled-down, stripped-down version of Clark & Leiva's Gathering Place. This beloved restaurant with a dedicated and loyal following operated for nine years before closing for good on February 25, 2023.
Sean & Tony's Kitchen has opened in its place, with a counter and two tables, run by the affable duo. The Gathering Place's earthy colors have been replaced with a more modern gray brick graffiti look, but the menu of popular handcrafted Belizean and American dishes remains the same.
“We've been doing this for 10 years in our two restaurants,” Clark said Tuesday afternoon behind the crowded counter at Sean & Tony's. “We started on Jan. 20, 2014.”
But don't worry: This may not be Clark and Leyva's last restaurant.
Clark couldn't help but smile seductively when asked if we could see the duo again.
“Maybe,” he said. “We're in discussions right now, but you know what will happen. Maybe it's further down the line. It could be a few months or a year.”
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He acknowledged that it won't be another Gathering Place or Shawn & Tony's Kitchen.
“It might be a diner type place,” he continued, “Probably in Fort Myers. Belizean food is really good. We've created a menu here, and some of it will come to the new location. It's not typical diner food. It's not traditional.”
But as of May 31, there's still plenty of time, and Clark has a few messages for his loyal customers.
“Thank you,” he said. “Lots of love and gratitude.”
I look forward to meeting again.
To keep up to date with Clark's creations, including custom cakes, check her out at shawnandtonyskitchen.com and on Facebook.
Robin George She is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. inquiry