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July/August
1999 Issue
Just a
Fax Away
You may be
on the islands to lose yourself from the rest of the world, but you can
still reach out and touch someone—not only by phone, but also via
print or pixels. Many local establishments have fax services, and a growing
number are making e-mail and Internet access available, too.
Of course, Qwik Pack & Ship (1713 Periwinkle Way, 941/472-0288;
fax 941/472-0809) and Pak ‘N’ Ship (2402 Palm Ridge Road, 941/395-1220;
fax 941/395-0958) offer UPS and FedEx shipping services. Both also are
handy places to pick up or send a fax; maybe even to let that special
someone know that a big box of shells is on its way?
Inside Bailey’s Supermarket, Lisa Bilske’s
Photo Express also “does a lot of faxing,” she says,
adding, “People do need to call ahead, however, when they are expecting
a fax.” Corner of Periwinkle Way and Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel, phone
and fax 941/395-0788.
Near the Sanibel Lighthouse, Little Nancy’s
Sunrise Video does brisk business with people who want to send and
receive faxes. Former owner Nancy Heffner, who recently sold the company
to her daughter and son-in-law, Bonnie and Richard Gaudet, is staying
on as a “helper.” She says, “Our fax service is needed
by many people on this end of the island, particularly business tourists
and those involved in real estate transactions.” 359 Periwinkle Way,
Sanibel, phone and fax 941/472-6364.
Ed and Nancy Barnes, longtime owners of Island Graphics
Printing & Design, note that their dedicated fax line gets a lot
of use, 24 hours a day. “That’s what’s great about it;
even when we’re closed, faxes come in from around the world,”
they note. Priding themselves on “friendly service,” their clientele
includes residents and visitors. Of the latter, they say, “Many will
have big jobs that they find are more convenient to do with us than at
their resort.” 459 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-4437; fax 941/472-0183.
In the Tree Top Center, Barry and Nancy Gordon’s
Big Red Q Quick Print Center has been serving the islands for 16 years.
For much of that time, the company has enabled people to send or receive
faxes. Employee Stuart Hitt laughs when he mentions that faxes often come
without any phone number or any clues as to whom is waiting for them or
where they go. “We just hold them” until the intended recipients
come to retrieve them, explains the genial Hitt. 1101 Periwinkle Way,
Suite D-104, Sanibel, 941/472-2121; fax 941/472-5344.
At Arundel’s on Sanibel, customers check
their e-mail and surf the Internet. The store’s commercial online
service is AOL, “but we plan to get more,” Chris Arundel explains.
People pay by the hour, with a minimum of 10 minutes required. “E-mail
is necessary in our society,” Arundel adds. “It’s very
popular here at the store. People can also track their UPS and FedEx shipments
to see where their package is, or if it was even sent at all.” In
addition, customers can send and receive faxes, including those on ledger-size
paper. Faxing is used often, and has been for the past decade, especially
among foreign tourists. The store offers fax machine rental service, too.
Print or receive a document you decide you don’t want to keep? “Use
our Ollie North special--our shredding service,” Arundel says, laughing.
On Captiva, the store’s branch enables customers to send and receive
faxes of letter or legal size. 1626 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, 941/472-8317
or 800/506-7772, fax 941/8517; Chadwick’s Circle, Unit 1, Captiva,
941/395-0434 or 800-506-7772.
At Sanibel Print & Graphics, owners David
and Lee Horton stay busy with customers sending and receiving faxes, especially
during season. Sometimes, faxes come in with no identification, but customers
usually pick them up eventually. Interestingly, when the Hortons bought
the business 21/2 years ago, computers were available for customers to
check their e-mail, but the idea just didn’t ever take off. 2400
Palm Ridge Road, Sanibel, 941/472-4592; fax 941/472-3263.
About two years ago, the Sanibel Public Library
began allowing patrons to use computers to access their e-mail and surf
the Internet at no cost. “There has been a tremendous growth in usage,”
says systems administrator Joanne Wessels, who teaches popular mini-sessions
on e-mail and the Internet. (More than 700 people have taken the classes
during the past 18 months.) “We let people access any Web site that
has free e-mail, such as Yahoomail, Netscapemail, or Hotmail,” Wessels
explains, adding, “We can’t download or load software, because
we’re on a network and if we got a virus, it would be disastrous.”
770 Dunlop Road, Sanibel, 941/472-2483.
Carolyn McKinney, librarian at Captiva Memorial Library,
is thrilled that since March, her branch of the Lee County Library System
has two computer terminals where patrons can access e-mail and surf the
Internet, free of charge. “We’re delighted we have it,”
she says, adding that making an appointment “is probably the best
idea.” Usage seems to be evenly divided between people who check
their e-mail and those who use the Internet, she adds. And there are “even
some people who have had to do research while on their vacation.”
11560 Chapin Lane, Captiva, 941/472-2133; TTY 941/472-8606.
Captiva’s Island Store had one of the first
fax machines on the island several years ago, and it was an immediate
hit, especially for real estate transactions and other big business deals
being negotiated by visiting tycoons. They could generate whole rolls
of faxes at one time. Nowadays, not as many faxes come in at 12 feet long,
but the dedicated fax line is still popular. Business people and vacationers,
too, send (or receive) their messages around the world. 11500 Andy Rosse
Lane, Captiva, 941/472-2374; fax 941/472-4945.
On both islands, most resorts offer fax services, and
an increasing number are outfitting rooms with data ports, enabling guests
to hook up their laptop computers. Amy Krawczyk, reservations manager
for Sanibel Holiday vacation rentals, notes that the company is
starting to develop concierge services. “One aspect of the plan is
that we offer guest and owner e-mail and Internet access. It is all in
a separate room we have here at our offices,” she explains. 1630
Periwinkle Way, Suite A, Sanibel, 941/472-6565 or 800/572-6423.
Some of the rooms at Captiva’s Tween Waters
Inn (941/472-5161 or 800/223-5865; fax 941/472-0249) have data ports,
as does its main lobby. Of course, the fax machine at the front desk gets
its share of use, too. In season, many people need it because they can’t
seem to get away from work, even for a little while. Off-season, quite
a number of Europeans are happy to be able to send messages back home.
Meristar resorts, formerly owned by Mariner,
have faxes available for guests. Its larger properties are installing
data ports in every unit, some of which even come as part of a lamp. In
addition, Meristar’s South Seas Plantation on Captiva (941/472-5111
or 800/449-3934) and Sundial Beach and Tennis Resort on Sanibel (941/472-4151
or 800/449-3934) each has a business center. The centers are seeing increased
usage, as guests are pleased to be able to access their e-mail, use the
Internet and color printers, and send items via FedEx or UPS.
Times of the Islands also makes its communications
center available to visitors for faxing and e-mailing around the world.
This is a special service for out-of-town subscribers while they are visiting
the islands. 941/472-0205; fax 941/395-2125. —Libby Grimm
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