Come spend the day in Matlacha
All-day, island-wide ‘open house’ event scheduled for Feb. 3
Matlacha residents and business owners alike fear word may not be out that the heart of Pine Island is still beating after the tragedy of Hurricane Ian swept through town. According to Matlacha Menagerie owner Larry Solinger, on Feb. 3, there will be an open house in Matlacha all day beginning approximately at noon.
“It’s basically a community call out for folks to come and see how our recovery is going. Enjoy the day. We’ve got food, T-shirts, local art and jewelry. Our ‘come meet the artist’ event at Matlacha Menagerie will feature artists who come out to meet the public,” Solinger said.
The primary reason for the event is exposure, he said, as people have meandered into his store genuinely surprised to see businesses in Matlacha up and running after last year’s hurricane.
“I’ve had people tell me they thought Matlacha was destroyed. They didn’t think there was anything out here. They thought all the businesses had been wiped out. In a lot of cases it’s a pleasant surprise and we have lots of people that tell us they only came out because friends have told them there is still plenty to do out here,” Solinger said.
Publicity surrounding the island seems to be more negative than positive, he said, leaving residents and business owners to join forces in an effort to make Pine Island’s presence known. Matlacha is a very worthwhile place to come visit, Solinger said, emphasizing that participating businesses are likely to focus on the upcoming Valentine’s Day holiday.
In addition to the Matlacha Menagerie, Solinger said, CW Fudge Factory, Koucky Studios, Blue Dog, the Perfect Cup and Onofrio D Oro Fine Jewelry Boutique will also be attending the event.
“In an effort to keep Matlacha’s personality, we made the decision that we were going to become a gallery gift shop. So we have 12 local artists on display in our store, so we’re doing the best we can to keep Matlacha’s personality alive,” Solinger said of his store, Matlacha Menagerie.
To reach PAULETTE LeBLANC / pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com, please email