Downtown Fort Myers' new gathering spot, Downtown Social House, dishes out handcrafted craft cocktails, wine and draft beers, shareable plates, and dons the scene's only GardenBar.

SoHo for short, is Kearns Restaurant Group and Richter Hospitality Concepts' latest venue and venture in Downtown Fort Myers. Construction began in late 2016, with a grand opening debut in June 2017.  

 

The company operates six stores in the downtown core. Managing partner Nils Richter was responsible for the concept and build-out, but attributed the successful opening as a team effort. Daniel Kearns, Sr., and his sons Zak Daniel, Jr., are the other partners in the group.

Richter reported SoHo was busy from wall to wall all night the first weekend, just through the buzz on social media, and it has been busy every weekend night since. 

 

The most popular menu item is the ‘What-A-Mule’ cocktail, a play on a Moscow mule with Lemongrass simple syrup and fresh ginger.

 

The outdoor space is "perfectly suited" for events, Richter said, and they have received a lot of requests. There are outdoor cooling systems on hot days and a big fire pit for cold nights. They have already been hosting events for the Rotary Club, the local Young Lawyers Association and other professional groups.

 

"It has been awesome, no doubt about it!" Richter said. "We get a lot of professionals that work downtown and visit us for happy hour, and at night we get a very nice crowd that we have not seen in downtown before."
 

Richter said they will update their craft cocktail menu and the food menu seasonally, with the fall menu coming out on Sept. 21.

"This way we stay fresh and we can use local and seasonal ingredients year round," he said. "We are looking forward to being the place for locals, snowbirds, and the local professionals to gather for years to come in downtown!"