Florida Boy Burger Co. had planned to expand to Cape Coral but didn’t realize how fast it would happen.

On Feb. 21, the fledgling burger restaurant became a locally owned chain, with its second location opening at 1402 Del Prado Blvd. S., Unit 4. It’s less than 7 miles from the original Florida Boy Burger Co., 4480 Fowler St., on the corner with Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers.

“We made a few changes to go with the area a little bit,” founder and co-owner Roger Lolly said. “Because it is closer to Pine Island, which is where I’m from. So, we put in a few more touches of Pine Island.”

The Cape Coral space previously had been used by FK Your Diet restaurant. Lolly and business partner Louis Cioffi paid about $100,000 for all new kitchen equipment and rebuilding the entire interior.

Most of the burgers are in the $14 to $20 range, but Lolly said there will be a premium for in-state beef.

“We’re adding an option where you can get Florida-raised beef that doesn’t leave the state of Florida,” Lolly said. “We don’t want to pass that cost on to the buyer. But if people are adamant about supporting the local beef owners in the state of Florida, we will be able to offer that — 100% Florida-raised beef.”

Lolly is looking at further expansion to North Port and Naples before expanding to a more statewide presence in Orlando and Jacksonville.

“It’s a fun concept,” Lolly said. “The restaurant business isn’t easy, but it’s such a fun concept.”

The location, roughly between Pine Island Road and Cape Coral Parkway, should draw from throughout city, Cioffi said.

“We’re going to let them come to us,” Cioffi said. “We do everything our own way. You’re going to come in as customers, and you’re going to leave as family. And you’re going to get some of the best burgers you can have in the Lee County area.”

The Florida Boy concept includes paying homage to a side of Florida not typically promoted by visitor and convention bureaus. It’s not about the beaches or the theme parks, Cioffi said.

“We didn’t grow up going to Fort Myers Beach,” Cioffi said of he and Lolly. “We grew up in the woods. We’re the second largest cattle state in the country. The Everglades. The alligators. We’ve got to pay homage to that part of Florida.”

Speaking of the gators, the Cape Coral location has them — both cooked ones from the menu and live ones in a tank at the front. The ones in the tank, approved by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, eventually will be returned to the farm from which they came and replaced.

The ones on the menu are sourced elsewhere, Cioffi said.

“We are getting ready to introduce alligator bites,” Cioffi said. “We’ve always had an alligator sausage. And we have an alligator sausage in one of our hamburgers, so we do have alligator, but just not those,” Cioffi said, pointing to the tank.

Each Florida Boy location has about a dozen employees, and there are opportunities for advancement. Cape Coral restaurant General Manager Paul “Crispy” Elsdon started at the Fort Myers location as a dishwasher.

“I had the opportunity to open this,” Elsdon said, “so I put my foot in that open door. I’m really excited.

“We’ve got some simple stuff, and we’ve got some extravagant stuff, as well. Cape Coral is going to be really excited. It’s going to be a unique opportunity for a new, fun place in town.”