Another Business Bounces Back From Ian

Island Carts FMB, owned by Tim Ryan and Dan Allers, was a complete loss on September 28, 2022. The golf cart business was booming for Ryan and Allers before Ian came along and wiped out their entire fleet of 15 vehicles.

By now many have heard the story. 820 Buttonwood, just over the Matanzas Pass Bridge was the headquarters for Island Carts FMB. On September 28th, the facility, which is now home to FMB Strong, was filled with water, muck and debris and all the golf carts were destroyed.

When there were very few people coming to Fort Myers Beach, with very few places to visit, renting a golf cart wasn’t a top priority over the last year. However, with The Pink Shell, DiamondHead, The Lighthouse, many vacation rentals operating and Margaritaville set to open, expectations are high for a bounce-back season on Fort Myers Beach and Island Carts FMB is ready.

Ryan and Allers have been reinvesting in new street-legal electric golf carts that include all front-facing seats, backup cameras and bluetooth sound systems. They also bought a local company called Bayshore Rentals to help them get up to a total of 22 carts. 10 of those carts will be assigned to Margaritaville in a deal the two sides signed before the storm. The remaining 12 will be available to the general public.
The company is also adding bikes to their transportation rental menu. Visitors to DiamondHead, The Pink Shell and Margaritaville will be able to rent the bikes by using an app. Download the app, pay and ride. Bikes for both adults and kids will be available.

Tim Ryan tells Beach Talk Radio News it’s been a long road back since they lost their fleet of carts in Ian. “While the storm brought so much change and heartache to us and many others it has also presented opportunity. We’re proud to have battled back and be a part of the rebuild. We’re hopeful that the re-launch of our business will send yet another positive signal that FMB is open for business. We would like to thank all of our friends and family for without their support this would not have been possible.”

Allers said getting the business back up and running is bittersweet. “I wasn’t sure the day would ever come. It will certainly be a challenge as the island rebuilds, but we believe it’s the right time to start back up. We look forward to providing the great service our customers have come to enjoy.”

Check out Island Carts FMB online HERE

Do you own a business bouncing back from Ian? Contact Ed Ryan today and we’ll highlight your success story (edryan@beachtalkradio.com)

Read about Dawn Webb’s Bounce Back HERE (Paradise Tattoo)