(Note: This story appears in the November 2022 issue of ED Magazine)
The adult nightclub, located in Fort Myers Beach, was completely destroyed by the storm. But they’re already planning to rebuild and come back as “the best club in Lee County.”
For many people in the US, September 28 was just another Wednesday. Off to work, kids to school, nothing memorable.
Except, that is, for the people of Southwest Florida. Early that morning, Hurricane Ian made landfall near Cayo Costa, near the cities of Fort Myers Beach and Naples, Florida, as a dangerous, high-end Category 4 storm after plowing a path of devastation through the Caribbean. Much of this area was completely leveled, the destruction staggering, as the seven-foot storm surge turned the streets into rivers of rushing water.
There aren’t many adult nightclubs in this area, but one that is —Fantasy’s on the Beach — was completely destroyed. ED Publications had the opportunity to speak with Fort Myers Entertainment’s Regional Manager Emrah Sevinch (the group that owns the club) about his experience with Hurricane Ian, and how the owners plan on rebuilding Fantasy’s.
“It’s kind of rubble right now, but we fully intend to rebuild bigger and better,” says Sevinch. “It’s unbelievable destruction. Thankfully our other two clubs that are here in Fort Myers, Vixens Cabaret (formerly Scarlett’s) and Lookers, survived it okay.”
As this interview was conducted less than a week after the hurricane tore through his area, the images and experiences were fresh in Sevinch’s mind.
“It completely washed through our club,” he says. “The destruction inside … I can’t even describe it. There are couches from the champagne room that are behind the bar, and the cooler is all the way across the club. It looks like somebody took the club, filled it up with water, and then shook it violently for four hours.
“None of our people got hurt, but there were some people down on the beach that night,” Sevinch adds. “I have a photo of a gentleman sitting on the stoop of the club. He rode the storm out on the beach. I saw him the next morning, and he had this thousand-yard stare on his face. I asked him if he was out on the beach last night, and he said yeah. And I was like, wow. He asked me if he was in my way, and I was just like, you can stay there as long as you want.”
Though it’s almost impossible to imagine that Sevinch is already talking about rebuilding the club after experiencing such devastation, he notes that there is a specific reason why they must rebuild quickly.
“The first thing we gotta do is demolish it,” says Sevinch of the club. “The whole building has to be bulldozed because it’s no longer structurally sound. Then we begin planning, permitting, and designing the club, and we’re hopeful, in light of the disaster, that it will be a streamlined process. Then we start building.
“We’re up against the time clock because the adult entertainment license will expire if there’s not a club there for a certain period of time,” he adds, noting that once rebuilt the new venue will be dubbed “Vixens by the Sea.” “Our lawyer said not to worry about it, but we still have 50 people out of work. They’re without jobs, so we want to rebuild and get back into the business. We’re moving as fast as we can, but it’s hard right now. The power just came back yesterday. Our first priority was getting our other two clubs open so we can take some of the refugees from the beach and get them working.”
It completely washed through our club. The destruction inside … I can’t even describe it. There are couches from the champagne room that are behind the bar, and the cooler is all the way across the club. It looks like somebody took the club, filled it up with water, and then shook it violently for four hours. — Emrah Sevinch
Sevinch noted that he and the club were fortunate to have some immediate assistance from their sister clubs, the Vixens locations in Hollywood and Tampa, FL. ACE Executive Director Angelina Spencer, who herself lost her home in Naples, FL, to Hurricane Ian, helped organize a donation drive for those clubs, staff and families who were impacted by the disaster. Co-coordinated by Pole Position, the Rachel’s club in Orlando and 2001 Odyssey in Tampa were accepting donations (water, clothes, dry food, toiletries, gift cards, gasoline) which were to be delivered to those most in need.
“As for what else people can do, check in with people and find out what they need,” says Spencer. “Send a gift card to give someone a sense of control and security. Offer a place to stay or ask the person what one item they might need, and most of all, exercise compassion.”
Somehow, despite everything they’ve endured, Sevinch and his fellow owners and staff are staying upbeat about the “new” club that will emerge out of this destruction.
“Anything you can do to get us some more relief supplies or help, we would gladly accept it,” says Sevinch. “We’ve got plenty of people in need. We’re hoping that this will be a story of rejuvenation because we fully intend to make that club the best club in Lee County. We look forward to a grand re-opening.”
If you or someone you know has been impacted by Hurricane Ian and needs help, please contact ACE National’s Angelina Spencer at (202) 800-9109 or email info@acenational.org.
