Local business owner to revitalize Fishermen's Village dining

Two new restaurants are preparing to open in Punta Gorda’s Fishermen’s Village, filling the beloved waterfront spaces left vacant by the closures of Harpoon Harry’s Dockside Dining and The Captain’s Table.

Kelly Evans Draper, former president of Smugglers Enterprises — the company that once owned both restaurants — plans to launch Castaways and Latitude 26° on Jan. 1. The restaurants may open earlier if renovations wrap ahead of schedule, she said.

Castaways will take over the first-floor space formerly occupied by Harpoon Harry’s, offering a laid-back, island-style atmosphere with updated menus and a redesigned interior. The new bar will sit at the center of the restaurant, providing 180-degree waterfront views — an upgrade from the previous bar’s wall-facing position. A small game area, a nostalgic feature of Harpoon Harry’s, will remain.

Upstairs, Latitude 26° will replace The Captain’s Table. The space will be refreshed with new energy and sweeping views of Charlotte Harbor while preserving the warm hospitality that regulars came to love.

“The Village has been an important part of my family for many years, and I’m proud to continue the legacy my grandfather started,” Draper said.

Her grandfather, Don Donelson, was one of Fishermen’s Village’s original developers in 1979. Her father, Ron Evans, founded Harpoon Harry’s in 1993 as part of the Smugglers Enterprises portfolio.

Draper was initially approached by SVN Commercial Partners’ Senior Adviser Corrie Gates about taking over the two restaurant spaces. She said she declined at first but later reconsidered. Now, she’s managing construction and renovation herself, describing her role as “boots on the ground.”

“This project is close to my heart. I’ve spent years in these restaurants, building relationships with the people who make Fishermen’s Village so special,” she said. “I want to honor the history and charm while introducing new energy that keeps the waterfront a place people want to return to again and again.”

SVN Commercial Partners handled the lease agreements. Ashley Bloom, also with SVN, said selecting Draper as the new tenant aligned with their goal of keeping the restaurants under local leadership.

“Fishermen’s Village is part of Punta Gorda’s identity,” Bloom said. By choosing a tenant heavily involved in the community, it will ensure the restaurants will thrive in a place of community pride, he added.

The closure of Harpoon Harry’s and The Captain’s Table in May sparked widespread community backlash. Patrons expressed disappointment across social media platforms, citing the restaurants as long-standing gathering places for celebrations, fireworks displays and New Year’s Eve parties.

Negotiations between the previous tenants and the property owner broke down before a new lease could be reached.

“After an extended period of exclusive negotiations with the Smugglers team, we were unable to come to a long-term commitment between the parties,” Gates said last year.

Draper is building her own hospitality brand with Castaways and Latitude 26°, blending new ideas with community traditions. Menus are still in development.

For Draper, the new ventures are more than a business opportunity — they’re a continuation of a family legacy and a chance to shape the next chapter at Fishermen’s Village.