A popular waterfront dining spot in Cape Coral has been revamped, refreshed, and is now open for business.

Rumrunners in Cape Harbour underwent a six-day transformation at the start of the New Year and reopened last Friday, as owner Dennis Bessey and his team worked to enhance the atmosphere and experience for guests and patrons.

Bessey, along with partner Will Stout and General Manager Joe Henning have done away with the old and brought in the new. From upgraded seating and tables inside and outside, new floors, new decor, new bathrooms, kitchen equipment, menu and more, Rumrunners is ready to welcome Southwest Florida with open arms.

“There’s a fresh new look for it,” Bessey said. “We wanted to try some new ideas. We really want to just give people a new experience — offer some new foods, refresh the look, incorporate some outdoor music and special events and just bring some excitement to the area. I think people will find it’s a new first-class restaurant but will also have the comfortable, recognizable feel where everyone is welcome. We’re going to strive to improve every day and embrace change.”

Bessey and Stout, who are close friends and business partners, owned the property dating back to when it first opened nearly 20 years ago and took control of the facility from the previous operators on Jan.1 when their lease expired. In just a short amount of time they’ve transformed Rumrunners with a theme that now centers around its namesake and Stout’s own Rumrunner.

The new interior is an ode to the Rumrunner vessel, a 1949 design by John Hacker. While the original plans were for a triple-cockpit runabout, the boat’s design was modified by Naval architect Charlie Jannuce to that of a commuter. Rumrunner was built by Hugh Saint, Inc. Custom Boats in Cape Coral for Stout. The vessel was cold molded using west system epoxy and Honduras mahogany. The Rumrunner is a 37-foot commuter powered by twin Crusader 8-cylinder engines packing 425-HP each.

Captain Bill McCoy was a major part of rum running during prohibition, when he began bringing rum from Bimini and the rest of the Bahamas into South Florida. The smaller, quicker boats could easily outrun the Coast Guard vessels.

With the view overlooking Cape Harbour and dockside service for boaters, Rumrunners is a modern-day representation of a bygone era.

“I think it all came together well,” Bessey said. “The fact we were able to turn it around in such a short amount of time was remarkable and it was a team effort.”

And it’s not just the interior that’s been elevated — it’s the menu as well. Bessey said the classic surf and turf style is still a staple of their kitchen, kicked up a notch.

They have also added options such as sushi, flatbreads, and are more accommodating to those with vegan or gluten-free palates.

“It’s unbelievable,” said President of the Homeowners Association at Cape Harbour and restaurant owner Robert Knebel of the new food options and facility.

“(Bessey) went in, rebranded it, cleaned it up, is buying a better quality of food, and the menu is fantastic. The food is elevated to where it was before. It’s phenomenal. There’s new everything. Dennis took it to the next level.”

Knebel said Bessey and Henning, who have been business partners and friends for over three decades, have anchored Rumrunners as a destination area for people throughout Southwest Florida and especially residents of Cape Harbour.

“It’s very convenient to have a restaurant here where you can go out and have a drink or two,” he said. “The waterfront bar seating is amazing. It’s a staple of the area. It’s a great asset to Cape Harbour.”

Rusty Ost, who was the former president of the Cape Harbour Homeowners Association, said he was waiting with bated breath for the new Rumrunners to open, and they did not disappoint.

Ost, who now lives in Fort Myers after calling the Cape home for 20 years, seven of which were spent in Cape Harbour, said he’s been a patron of the restaurant for quite some time.

“I just love Rumrunners because of the view,” he said, adding he welcomes the menu changes.

“Now, everything is new and fresh,” Ost said.

Frank “Wolfy” Wolf, who is a restaurateur and long-time patron of Rumrunners, said he had a great relationship with the previous operators, and has carried on to Bessey.

“The staff is like a family to me,” Wolf said. “It’s a warm relationship. Dennis came in and is doing a fabulous job as far as the food and has kept the staff that I’ve loved so much.”

Wolf said he ventures to Rumrunners at least four times each week and blown away with the upgrades made.

“I couldn’t say more good things about what’s going on down there,” he said. “The food has definitely improved and catered to additional tastes. I’m pleasantly surprised. The outside bars with table service are an outstanding move and the decor is fantastic. For how fast (Bessey) did it, it’s unbelievable.”

Bessey said all of the Rumrunners employees were offered a job at the remodeled site and that most came on board immediately without missing a paycheck. He said the entire kitchen staff also stayed on board.

“The community will see the same familiar faces. That’s not going to change,” Bessey said. “Some have been there since day one. We have a great back of the house and front of the house, and we look at it as one big house. I think we have a great team in place.”

Rumrunners now features brand new outdoor dining and seating that has been lauded by those who have experienced it, with spots to enjoy a meal or drink under the shade of umbrellas and even right on the dock. Waterside seating is all made out of quartz.

“I particularly love the bar seating outside on the main floor and the dock,” Ost said. “The new menu items were smart in maintaining some of the traditional standards mixed with a new feel. I intend to start going back there a lot.”

There’s even a kid’s area with games for children, along with a new children’s menu.

Bessey has also added a “Boat-ique” gift shop where patrons can get their Rumrunners swag.

Some other exciting new editions are a newly crafted Rumrunners rum and Rumrunners Ale and IPA.

Bessey and his team worked with Cape Coral’s Wicked Dolphin distillery and Fort Myers Brewing Company to create their own rum and beer selections. The best part is that it will be poured out of their brand-newdraft system called a Glycol Super Chiller System, allowing Rumrunners to have some of the coldest beer in town at an estimated 31 degrees.

They have also expanded their list of brews on tap and offer a wider selection of wine, liquor and cocktails. For a look to fit the theme, they’ve added new rum barrel tabletops. Bessey said they are looking to continue their relationship with these local businesses and bring more to the restaurant.

As for why Bessey and Stout decided it was time to move on, it simply comes down to business.

“It was more of a gut decision that Southwest Florida was demanding the change,” Bessey said. “I think a lot of it has to do with the demographic shift we’ve seen. We recognized it was going to take a lot of capital that needed to be infused into the business. The former operators did a good job, though we decided (to make the change) for various business reasons. It was all a business decision. These decisions are never fun, never easy. There are a variety of reasons the decision was made.”

Henning is a chef that grew up in the food industry and has been extremely successful in his ventures.

“He is a world class chef and is a smart, seasoned professional with great customer service skills as well,” Bessey said. “It just made sense to make the move. The timing was right and we made the decision.”

It was an amazing turnaround the get the job done and open their doors once again in less than a week, and it wouldn’t have been possible without Bessey’s team that included Master Touch Installation of Cape Coral. Owner Chris Torres and his crew re-did all of the bathroom floors and witnessed the controlled chaos over less than a week of installation, working 24/7 to get the job completed.

“We all knew we had a short amount of time to get things done, and when the time came, it was like clockwork,” Torres said. “He wanted to see a new look and something fresh. As a business owner, it was impressive to see so many people help out.

“I told Dennis, ‘Look around and see how many people are supporting you and the new restaurant.’ It was awesome to see.”

Torres said all of the varying crews — from Master Touch Installation doing the floors, to boxes upon boxes containing new kitchen equipment and tables and chairs and dining furniture, to plumbers — worked together seamlessly to make their goal a reality.

“It was a challenge but it was exciting to be a part of it,” Torres said. “Everybody was working non-stop, and what stood out was how happy everybody was.”

Torres is familiar with Rumrunners, as he lives in Cape Harbour, and said, “The place definitely needed some change. And that’s what Dennis did.

“As a young professional, it’s good to know we have a great place to go and have some kind of networking. Cape Coral is seeing more and more of a younger crowd and it’s good to see change is coming. The menu is great and I’d love to see people come and see what beautiful Cape Harbour has to offer.”

Rumrunners is open every day starting at 11 a.m. and is open most major holidays. Live music at their new “Rumrunners Beach” area takes place on Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.

“We hope the patrons support it and that it’s a good experience for them. Obviously they’re going to judge us and ask everyone to come in and give us a chance and see what they think,” Bessey said. “We know it’s been a staple here. We’re trying to create a new vibe. We’re going to try new things and we’re going to listening to what the customers say.”

For reservations, call Rumrunner’s new phone number at 239-790-5RUM (5786).

Rumrunners is at 5848 Cape Harbour Drive. Visit www.runrunners.cc for more information.

–Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cj