Chamber representatives were on hand to celebrate the Blue Giraffe food truck launch with a ribbon cutting
The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce celebrated the debut of the Blue Giraffe Restaurant food truck at its Periwinkle Place location on Sanibel Island with a ribbon cutting on Thursday, Jan. 5. Co-owner Bill Letrendre says the food truck, with its limited hours and menu, will serve loyal customers while his two brick-and-mortar restaurants undergo restoration.
“The Periwinkle Place location was totally destroyed and must be rebuilt from scratch,” he said. “The Beachview Estates location was not destroyed and will require much less repair to re-open…. If all goes well the goal is to be ready by Christmas 2023 for both locations.”
“The Letendres do the islands a great service by providing a convenient, central location where customers can enjoy a degree of normalcy with some of Blue Giraffe’s most well-loved dishes,” said John Lai, chamber president and CEO. “We commend them for their ability to pivot quickly to keep their business vital in these trying times.”
The food truck opens Monday through Saturday for breakfast 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and lunch until 3 p.m. It gives customers a choice of six breakfast items and 10 lunch dishes including wraps, tacos, burritos, beer, and wine. A number of tables with umbrellas provide seating for customers.
Blue Giraffe first opened at Periwinkle Place in October 2016 and at Beachview in December 2020. The food truck launched on Jan. 2, and has exceeded Letendre’s expectations since then. He thanks the chamber for helping inform islanders about his food truck and other hurricane recovery-related news.
“I am very pleased with the chamber’s informative online newsletters as well as speakers’ program,” said Letendre. “It has kept us fully informed on all topics affecting our rebuilding efforts. The chamber is definitely a great resource for all businesses on the island.”
SANIBEL & CAPTIVA ISLANDS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to promoting the prosperity of its members and preserving the quality of life of our community. With more than 460 active Chamber members from both islands and businesses from Lee and Collier counties, the Chamber plays a key role in facilitating communication and cooperation between business, residents, and government to enhance the economic health of the islands. The Francis P. Bailey, Jr., Chamber Visitor Center is located at the entrance to Sanibel Island and welcomes tens of thousands of visitors each year. VISIT FLORIDA named the visitor center one of 13 official Florida Certified Tourism Information Centers in the state. It is open 365 days a year and provides comprehensive information about things to do, places to visit, and where to stay, shop, and dine. The chamber website sanibel-captiva.org receives more than 1.3 million website visits per year.
For more information about the chamber, visit sanibel-captiva.org or contact John Lai, president and CEO, at 239-472-2348 or John@sanibel-captiva.org.
