CAPE CORAL — Big Blue Brewing in downtown Cape Coral has been sold.
Co-owner Joseph Termini said, in just the last two months, several members of his family have died, and they wanted to sell the business to have more time to spend on their personal life.
“We lost my mom, my dad, and my grandma, and then we also lost one of our employees, Melissa. So it’s just a lot of passings, a lot of sorrow over the last couple of months, and it just kind of makes you think about everything a little bit more, and maybe focusing on a little more personal life and family," said Termini.
Selling Big Blue will end the brewery’s 4-year run in downtown Cape Coral. The company made the announcement on Facebook, and pretty quickly it received hundreds of comments.
“It’s amazing to know how important this place was to a lot of people," said Termini.
But the building is going to keep its “Big” theme. It was sold to Big Storm Brewing, which is based in Clearwater, FL, but already had a brewery down the road in Cape Coral. We had the chance to speak with co-owner L.J. Govoni.
“We’re treating Cape Coral as a second home for us, and we think this is doubling down on our investment in the community, and our commitment to the community," said L.J. Govoni.
Termini’s family also owns Wicked Dolphin Distillery, so he says, while the Big Blue chapter is ending, his family will still play a big part in Cape Coral.
“It’s not going to be the end for us, obviously. We still have Wicked Dolphin in the community, and then maybe do something else in the future," said Termini.
Govoni says Big Storm will continue to operate the building as a restaurant brewery, and they will keep all of the current staff. He says the plan is to reopen sometime in late October or early November. Govoni says they’re also still holding onto their other property they own down the street, but for now, he’s keeping his plans for that building a secret.
