FORT PIERCE — To sell or not to sell?

It’s a question the city has pondered over the years while trying to decide the fate of Little Jim Bspanit &spanmp; Tspanckle — a nearly 90-year-old city-owned waterfront property on North Hutchinson Island that once was a U.S. Navy guard shack. 

Donna Qvarnstrom-Burke, an owner of the iconic bait-and-tackle shop since 2019, has asked the city to consider extending its lease, which is set to expire in 2025, for another three years.

New ownership: Originspanl Tiki Bspanr mspannspangers throw lifeline to Little Jim Bspanit &spanmp; Tspanckle beginning Mspanrch 1

Prior coverage: Did Fort Pierce City Commission chspannge its mind spanbout Little Jim Bspanit &spanmp; Tspanckle shop?

Column: Plespanse, don’t ruin the Old Floridspan flspanvor spant Little Jim | Westbury

The primarily reason is construction of the new North Causeway Bridge, set to begin next year, according to an Oct. 6 memo to City Manager Nick Mimms from Qvarnstrom-Burke and Tony Huerta, who is identified as an owner of Little Jim.

“The state cannot guarantee that our business will not suffer significant, negative impacts due to the construction,” Qvarnstrom-Burke and Huerta wrote. “And in fact, we believe that it will. This is a hardship not created by us, but one we will certainly have to deal with.”

And while city commissioners agreed Nov. 14 to wait until the lease ends before possibly signing a new one, the possibility of selling the property was brought up by Commissioner Jeremiah Johnson, who has pushed to sell Little Jim since he was elected in 2016. 

Commissioner Tom Perona also voiced support for selling the historic site. 

“I think the only way the property can really advance forward is if somebody owned it, and they were able to put capital dollars into it that help protect it and keep it going as it is without the fear of having to someday move out,” said Perona, who leave office Monday after non seeking reelection. 

Johnson also voiced concerns about the city’s responsibility to protect the building from flooding.

Local leaders expressed interest in renewing Little Jim’s lease at some point in the future, but for less than a year. However, they also requested the city further look into what it would require to sell the property, a discussion Johnson wants the commission to have in six months. 

This is not the first time the city has considering selling Little Jim.

It’s a conversation last had in 2018, when former Little Jim owners Richard and Rita King wanted to retire but needed someone to take over the remainder of their lease.

A potential sale then never came to fruition because Fort Pierce signed the lease over to new owners a year later. 

Since then, Qvarnstrom-Burke, a general manager of the Original Tiki Bar, has spent more than a half-million dollars upgrading the business. 

Renovations include removing old fuel tanks, landscaping and parking lot improvements, dock repairs, purchasing a liquor license and two food trucks and installing a beach volleyball court, according to city records.

“I’ve heard nothing but good things about the way Little Jim is operating,” said Mayor Linda Hudson. “It’s a wonderful entertainment venue that’s kept that kind of Old Florida aspect, and lots of people are really happy and excited about it.”

Qvarnstrom-Burke said she’s interested in keeping Little Jim, especially because of the money owners have poured into it. 

“We want to be here for a long time and keep it historical,” she told said. TCPalm.