By Sal DiBenedetto, Licensed Real Estate Broker · The DiBe Group, brokered by eXp Realty · Updated October 2026

Gulf Coast Town Center is Southwest Florida’s largest power center, a sprawling open-air shopping destination at Interstate 75 and Alico Road, just north of Estero and next to Southwest Florida International Airport. It is where locals go for a Costco run, fishing and boating gear at Bass Pro Shops, sporting goods, home goods and a Target trip, often followed by lunch or dinner at one of the center’s many restaurants.

For people living in Estero, south Fort Myers, Gateway, the FGCU area and Lehigh Acres, Gulf Coast Town Center is part of everyday life. It is also an easy stop for visitors, sitting minutes from the airport, Hertz Arena and Florida Gulf Coast University. This guide covers the center’s stores and restaurants, its history, what is new, how to get there and what living nearby is like.

Gulf Coast Town Center at a Glance

Store hours vary widely between anchors, restaurants and the theater. Check each business for current hours.

Gulf Coast Town Center Store Directory

Stores, restaurants and services at Gulf Coast Town Center, checked against the center’s official directory in October 2026. Tenants change often, so confirm with the center before a special trip.

Address: 9903 Gulf Coast Main St, Fort Myers, FL 33913 (off Alico Road at I-75)

Anchor Stores

Costco Wholesale, SuperTarget, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, Belk, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, HomeGoods, HomeSense, Marshalls, Ross Dress for Less, Burlington, Bealls Outlet, At Home, Kirkland’s, Five Below, Dollar Tree, Petco

Apparel, Shoes & Accessories

Ron Jon Surf Shop, St. John Outlet, The Tuxxman, Dunkin’s Diamonds, Rack Room Shoes

Beauty & Health

ULTA Beauty, Bath & Body Works, Sally Beauty, GNC, Eyeglass World, Massage Heights, ReShapeMD, The Med Spa Aesthetics & Wellness, Curv Beauty, 1 OAK Dentistry, Great Clips, Sport Clips, Sola Salon Studios, The Nail Love Lounge

Specialty

AT&T, Consumer Cellular, Lil Rascals Puppies, Yamaha Music School

Restaurants & Food

P.F. Chang’s, Miller’s Ale House, Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Red Robin, Connor’s Steak & Seafood, Pinchers Crab Shack, Hooked Island Grill, Burntwood Tavern, Koto Grill, Amoré Brick Oven Pizza, The Library Pizza, PDQ, Pollo Tropical, Zaxby’s, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Kilwin’s, Cold Stone Creamery, Paradise Bubble Tea Cafe, Chica Rosa Café, The World Famous Cigar Bar

Entertainment & Fitness

Regal Cinema, GameTime, Sandbox VR, 8-Bit Hall of Fame, Painting with a Twist, LA Fitness, 9Round Kickboxing, SoulBody Studios, Zero Gravity Dance Center

Hotels & Services

Courtyard by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, Lake Michigan Credit Union, State Farm, H&R Block, The UPS Store, LCSO Outreach Center

Gulf Coast Town Center has about 15 more smaller tenants, mostly salons and cafés.

Source: official Gulf Coast Town Center directory.

The History of Gulf Coast Town Center

Gulf Coast Town Center was planned in the early 2000s, when the area around the new Alico Road interchange and the airport was still mostly undeveloped. In 2005, CBL & Associates joined the Jacobs group as a partner in the project, which was reported at up to $180 million. The first phase opened on November 4, 2005, and new phases followed through 2008, as Alico Road was widened to six lanes and the I-75 interchange was rebuilt to handle the traffic.

The center opened just before the Great Recession and the housing crash, which hit Southwest Florida especially hard. Several retailers that once operated there have since closed, including Borders, Linens ‘n Things, Staples and Best Buy, reflecting both the recession and wider changes in retail. In 2016, the lender filed for foreclosure on a roughly $191 million loan, in what local media described as the largest stand-alone foreclosure in Lee County history. The property went back to the bank, and in 2017 it was purchased by North American Development Group and DK Capital.

Under its current owners, the center has re-tenanted big boxes, including Homesense in the former Best Buy space in 2023, and has started adding new uses such as apartments, a new hotel and an expanded Costco gas station. Owners have acknowledged that leaving housing out of the original plan was a missed opportunity, and the center is gradually becoming a more mixed-use destination.

Anchors and Major Stores

Belk and LA Fitness have also been listed as anchors, and the tenant mix continues to change, so check the center’s directory for the current lineup before making a special trip.

Bass Pro Shops: A Destination of Its Own

For many Southwest Florida residents, Bass Pro Shops is the main reason to visit Gulf Coast Town Center. The store at 10040 Gulf Center Drive covers more than 130,000 square feet and is designed as an attraction as much as a store. Inside, a 19,000-gallon aquarium showcases native fish, and a three-lane archery range lets customers test equipment. Outside, the store sits next to a 22-acre lake with a boat ramp, and its marine and ATV service center supports the region’s huge boating community.

Whether you are buying your first fishing rod after moving to Florida, outfitting a boat for Estero Bay or the Gulf, or just looking for a fun outing with kids, Bass Pro is worth a stop. It is also a great place to pick up a Florida fishing license and ask about local fishing conditions.

Costco at Gulf Coast Town Center

The Costco at Gulf Coast Town Center is one of the busiest stores in Southwest Florida, especially during the winter season, when seasonal residents stock up. In 2025, work began on a new 24-pump gas station on a 2.47-acre site across Gulf Center Drive, replacing the original 12-pump station. More pumps should help with the long gas lines that regulars know well. For the best experience, shop on weekday mornings and avoid weekend afternoons from January through April.

Restaurants and Dining

Gulf Coast Town Center has a large collection of sit-down chains and quick-service restaurants, making it an easy place for lunch during a shopping trip or dinner before a movie.

Restaurants come and go. In 2025, Cantina 109, The Keys Bar & Grille and Moe’s Southwest Grill closed at the center. Check current listings before you go, and see our Estero shopping and dining guide for more options nearby.

Because the restaurants are spread across the property, it helps to decide where you want to eat before you park. Families often like the large menus at BJ’s and Miller’s Ale House, while Connors and P.F. Chang’s are popular for a sit-down dinner. During spring training and hockey season, expect waits on game nights.

Entertainment

• Regal Cinemas: A 16-screen theater for new releases and family movies.
• Arcade games: GameTime and arcade options inside the center are popular with kids and teens.
• Hertz Arena: Just south in Estero, home of the Florida Everblades hockey team, with about 7,000 seats for hockey plus concerts and shows.
• Bass Pro Shops: The aquarium and archery range make it an outing in itself.

What Is New: Apartments, Hotels and More

• Ilumina at Gulf Coast Town Center: A 277-unit apartment community planned by NADG at 10101 Gulf Center Drive, in a four-story building with a parking garage, valued at about $80 million. It marks the center’s move toward mixed-use living.
• Hampton Inn & Suites: In October 2025, a hotel developer bought a 2.51-acre parcel between Connors Steak & Seafood and LA Fitness for a planned Hampton Inn & Suites.
• Costco gas expansion: A new 24-pump station is replacing the original 12-pump station.
• Re-tenanting: Former big-box spaces have been filled with off-price retailers such as Homesense.

These projects reflect the strong growth in the Alico Road and airport area, where new housing, logistics, offices and medical facilities continue to be built. We will update this guide as new tenants open.

Getting to Gulf Coast Town Center

The center sits at I-75 Exit 128, which was rebuilt in 2007 as a partial cloverleaf with ramps in all four corners. Alico Road can back up at peak times, especially on weekends in season and when Costco is busy. LeeTran has served the center with Route 60, which connects Gulf Coast Town Center, Miromar Outlets and FGCU; call 239-533-8726 for current schedules. Nearby, the I-75 interchange at Daniels Parkway (Exit 131) is under construction as a diverging diamond, which began in January 2026.

How Gulf Coast Town Center Compares

Most Estero and south Fort Myers residents use all four, depending on what they need. Read our guides to Coconut Point, Miromar Outlets and Bell Tower Shops.

Tips for Shopping Gulf Coast Town Center

1. Drive between stores. The center covers about 158 acres, so it is often faster to drive between Costco, Bass Pro and Target than to walk.
2. Shop early. Weekday mornings are the calmest time, especially at Costco.
3. Watch the season. From January through April, expect crowds and traffic on Alico Road.
4. Plan around events. Hertz Arena games and FGCU events can add traffic nearby.
5. Fuel up at Costco off-peak. Gas lines are shortest early in the morning.
6. Combine trips. Pair a visit with the airport, FGCU or Miromar Outlets to save time.

Setting Up a New Florida Home

For people who just moved to Southwest Florida, Gulf Coast Town Center is a one-stop shop for setting up a household. You can stock up on pantry staples and household supplies at Costco, find furniture and decor at HomeGoods and Homesense, pick up linens and kitchen basics at Target, Marshalls and Ross, and buy beach chairs, fishing gear and coolers at Bass Pro and Dick’s. Before hurricane season starts on June 1, it is also a good place to stock up on water, batteries, flashlights and storage bins. See our hurricane center for a full checklist and our newcomer hub for tips on settling in.

Gulf Coast Town Center Through the Seasons

A Day Out at Gulf Coast Town Center

1. Morning: Beat the crowds with a Costco run and fill up on gas.
2. Late morning: Explore Bass Pro Shops, check out the aquarium and pick up fishing or boating gear.
3. Lunch: Grab a table at BJ’s, Miller’s Ale House or P.F. Chang’s.
4. Afternoon: Hit Target, HomeGoods or Dick’s, or catch a matinee at Regal.
5. Evening: Head to Hertz Arena for an Everblades game, or drive 10 minutes south for dinner at Coconut Point.

Shopping for Boating and Fishing in Southwest Florida

Southwest Florida is one of the best boating and fishing regions in the country, and Gulf Coast Town Center is a hub for outdoor gear. Between Bass Pro Shops and Dick’s, you can outfit a boat, buy tackle for snook and redfish in Estero Bay, pick up kayaking gear for the Estero River or find everything for a beach day. New residents should remember that most anglers need a Florida saltwater fishing license, and boats must be registered in Florida within 30 days of becoming a resident. For ideas on where to go, see our guides to Estero activities and things to do in Southwest Florida.

Hotels Near Gulf Coast Town Center

With the airport just minutes away, the area around Gulf Coast Town Center has several hotels, including the Residence Inn Fort Myers at I-75 and Gulf Coast Town Center, with a new Hampton Inn & Suites planned at the center. Other airport-area hotels line Daniels Parkway and Treeline Avenue. Staying here is convenient for early flights, FGCU visits, Everblades games and spring training, though most visitors heading to the beach prefer to stay closer to the coast.

The Alico Road and Airport Growth Corridor

Gulf Coast Town Center sits in the middle of one of the busiest growth corridors in Southwest Florida. Southwest Florida International Airport handled a record of more than 11.1 million passengers in 2025, and the land around it has filled in with distribution centers, offices, medical facilities, hotels and apartments. Florida Gulf Coast University, with nearly 17,000 students, is just to the south, and Estero’s communities continue to expand east along Corkscrew Road. Alico Road was widened to six lanes in the mid-2000s, and Lee County has long-term plans to extend it farther east.

For homeowners and investors, this growth matters. Jobs, shopping and the airport nearby support demand for housing, while new apartments like Ilumina show that developers see strong rental demand. At the same time, more growth means more traffic, so it is worth driving your daily routes at rush hour before choosing a home in the area.

Parking and Accessibility

• Free parking: Large surface lots serve every part of the center.
• Accessible spaces: Located near the main entrances of major stores and restaurants.
• Getting around: Because the center is spread out, most visitors drive between sections. Walking is easiest within the Main Street-style areas around the restaurants and theater.
• Summer heat: Long walks across parking lots can be tough in summer, so park close to your first stop and move your car between stores.

Living Near Gulf Coast Town Center

The area around Gulf Coast Town Center is one of the fastest-changing parts of Lee County. To the south are Estero’s gated and country club communities and FGCU. To the east and north are newer communities along Ben Hill Griffin Parkway, Alico Road and Treeline Avenue, close to the airport and major employers. Residents value the convenience: big-box shopping, dining, entertainment, the airport and I-75 are all minutes away.

• Estero communities: Gated neighborhoods with resort-style amenities, about 10 minutes south.
• Gateway and the airport area: Established planned communities with a range of prices and quick airport access.
• FGCU area: Apartments, townhomes and single-family homes popular with students, faculty and young professionals.
• New apartments at the center: Ilumina adds rental options right next to shopping and dining.

Whether you want to buy or rent, our team can help you compare neighborhoods, HOA fees and commutes. Browse Estero homes for sale, our gated community guides and our Naples vs. Bonita Springs vs. Estero vs. Fort Myers comparison.

Gulf Coast Town Center FAQ

About the Author: Sal DiBenedetto

Sal is a licensed real estate broker with The DiBe Group, brokered by eXp Realty, serving Estero, Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Southwest Florida. He helps buyers and renters compare communities around Estero, FGCU and the airport corridor, and understand the full cost of living in Southwest Florida. More about Sal · Contact

Tenants, hours and development plans change. Confirm details with Gulf Coast Town Center or individual businesses before visiting.