Shell Factory & Nature Park announces plans to permanently close, sell property

N FT MYERS, Fla. - Sept. 16, 2024 - PRLog -- After 86 years of serving the community as a family-friendly, entertainment destination, the Shell Factory & Nature Park is announcing its plans to close. The park's final days of operation will be the weekends of Sept. 20-22 and Sept. 27-29 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., after which all operations will close to the public. During this time, the Nature Park and Gift Shop will be open and the park's onsite restaurants, the Southern Grill and Tommy's Outdoor Café, will serve a limited menu while supplies last. The Fun Park will be closed, effective immediately.

Established in North Fort Myers in 1938, the 18-acre, old-Florida roadside attraction has entertained multiple generations with amusement-style rides, arcade games, miniature golf, 50,000 square feet of gift shops, a 4.5-acre nature park with over 400 animals, birds, reptiles and fish, and much more. Despite efforts to find a buyer to take over the park's expansive operations, long-time owner Pam Cronin, who has worked tirelessly to preserve the property and its proud traditions for the past 27 years, has made the difficult decision to close the Shell Factory and sell the property.

In 1997, Cronin and her late husband, Tom, took the helm of the property when it was under foreclosure and lovingly transformed it from a roadside tourist spot to a sought-out destination for locals, seasonal residents and tourists. The couple made extensive investments and upgrades to the property, created the Nature Park, an animal rescue, and founded The Nature Park Environmental Education Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. The property has two restaurants. Adjacent to the restaurant is The Carousel Cabaret, a small venue, host to weddings, events and receptions of all kinds. The park has also supported many local nonprofits by serving as the host venue for countless fundraisers and events that rallied the community together.

The couple worked to overcome hardships including hurricanes, the recession, financial challenges and fires. After her husband's passing, Cronin continued to own and operate the Shell Factory. However, with any property that is over 86 years old and of this magnitude, ongoing maintenance and necessary repairs are costly. While Cronin has made significant investments to sustain the Shell Factory's continued operations, the sad reality is that the park is no longer viable in its current form.

Cronin is dedicated to supporting the employees during this transition and ensuring they have access to the resources and assistance they need, as well as working collaboratively with wildlife officials to safely re-home the park's 400-plus animals.

Cronin wishes to leave a legacy of happy memories shared at the Shell Factory on Facebook.com/ShellFactoryNaturePark (https://www.facebook.com/shellfactorynaturepark) using the hashtag #MyShellFactoryMemories.