FORT MYERS, Fla. (Jan. 15, 2014) – An upscale martini and tapas bar that plans to host national acts, bands, comedians and elaborate public and private events will soon open in South Fort Myers.

Located adjacent to Gator Lanes Bowling Center at 7050 Crystal Drive, Ter-Tini’s will hold its grand opening on Friday, Jan. 31 at 4 p.m.

Ter-Tini’s is the $500,0000 creation of longtime Gator Lanes’ owners Kevin and Terri Walsh and is named after Terri. The concept was born out of the Walsh’s love of martinis, delicious food and live entertainment.

“After traveling the Mediterranean and sampling different cuisines, especially in Barcelona where tapas are the standard, we decided to bring the Mediterranean to Southwest Florida,” said Kevin Walsh. “Our biggest challenge was finding the right, high-quality ingredients for the dishes we plan to serve. We are dedicated to offering only the finest and freshest foods and martinis and have taken great care in assembling a team made up of the best mixologists and servers.”

  

Interior features of the newly constructed 5,000-square-foot facility include 25-foot ceilings, an 18-inch tall professional concert stage with trapdoors, seating for 160 people including VIP seating areas with bottle service, a dance floor, granite bar backed by a 16 x 20-foot expansive LED light wall, acoustical tile walls, four 50-inch flat-screen TVs, five 10-foot. retractable screens and a second-floor office space. The spacious exterior patio includes a granite bar with sectional furniture, two fireplaces, seating for 100 people and four large flat-screen TVs.

Ter-Tini’s is open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 4 p.m. to close and Fridays and Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Ter-Tini’s tapas are served Wednesday through Sunday from 4 to 10 p.m. and feature 15 signature items priced from $5.95 to $19.95 including shrimp cocktail, oysters Rockefeller, mussels, sesame seared ahi tuna, crab and artichoke dip, tenderloin bruschetta, Teri-Q pork pops, pollo sammi, artisan cheese plate and an assortment of salads and flatbreads.

Chef Hank Chelston will serve as Ter-Tini’s executive chef.

“Our tapas are already receiving rave reviews,” said Chelston. “Kevin and Terri created an affordable menu they felt would both appeal to our market and utilize fresh, local ingredients.”

“In creating our martini list, we wanted to offer unique mixology concepts with different flavors, juices and unusual garnishes,” said Terri Walsh.

A selection of the imaginative cocktails include the signature Ter-Tini made with Grey Goose vodka, Cointreau, cranberry, lime and lemon juice; a blood orange margarita; a Slipper Banana made with Smirnoff vodka, light rum and banana liqueur; a Birthday Cake martini with Smirnoff Cake vodka, cranberry and pineapple juice and garnished with vanilla frosting; a Caramel Apple with Smirnoff Apple vodka, Apple Pucker and Butterscotch Schnapps with a caramel rim and a Marteane made with Beefeater’s Gin with simple syrup, unsweetened tea and fresh squeezed lemon juice. Classic cocktails and low calorie selections under 250 calories are also available.

Ter-Tini’s will offer happy hour five days a week from 4 to 7:30 p.m. that will feature discounted drink and tapas specials. A full liquor bar, wine, craft and domestic beers and bottle service will also be available.

Live entertainment will be available on the from 7:30 to 11 p.m. and dance music from 11p.m. to 2 a.m. Seasonal entertainment will be available on the patio.

Ter-Tini’s is also available for private and public meetings and functions.

The new venue’s grand opening will begin at 4 p.m. on Jan. 31 with complimentary sample tinis, tapas from 5 to 6 p.m. and other drink and tapas specials until close. CTO High Voltage, one of south Florida’s most popular high-energy bands, will perform today’s hottest Top 40 favorites from 7:30 to 11 p.m. A DJ will spin dance tunes from 11p.m. to 2 a.m. Admission is free.

On Saturday, Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m., Ter-Tini’s welcomes the Robin Zander Band featuring Robin Zander, the lead singer from Cheap Trick, Steve Luongo, Mark Hitt and Larry Hobbs, former band members of Rat Race Choir and John Entwistle Band.

Tickets are on sale now and are priced from $35 for general admission to $150 for deluxe VIP packages.

Brent Cunningham of Cunningham Construction, Angelo Pansera of Trim at Its Best, Draftsman James Fort of J.R. Rost Associates and Bobby Cutaia of Mariner Electric served as the nine-month project’s construction team. In addition to Ter-Tini’s construction, the Gator Lanes complex recently completed exterior landscaping and parking-lot remodeling projects.

A dozen employees have been hired to staff the new venue.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Kevin Walsh moved to Fort Myers in 1976 when his parents, along with nine other couples, opened Gator Lanes. After working for the company for a few years, Kevin began overseeing the bar and in 1983 bought into the company. Today, Kevin and his wife Terri own both facilities.

“We are really excited to welcome Southwest Florida to Ter-Tini’s,” said Kevin Walsh. “Having lived here since 1976, we know South Fort Myers needed this type of entertainment complex. Terri and I are very proud of the investment we’ve made in this upscale venue and can’t wait for the community to experience it.”

Ter-Tini’s patrons are requested not to wear hats, bandanas, cut-off jean shorts, flip-flops, excessively baggy clothing, hooded sweatshirts, tank tops, t-shirts or jerseys.

For more information, call 239-277-5475 or visit www.ter-tinis.com.