Love is in the air at The Box, a new wine and dessert bar that opened at 2502 Second St., Suite 104, in downtown Fort Myers. The intimate new bar was created by owner and operator Felicia Iglehart, who used her previous business, Perfect Date Arrangements, to create a new concept while not straying too far from its roots. 

Perfect Date Arrangements was a picnic business Iglehart started in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was basically beach picnics or river picnics, and we would do charcuterie boards and the chocolate covered strawberries, some come with wine or nonalcoholic wine,” she said. 

The business was successful for a couple years until Hurricane Ian destroyed the beaches where Iglehart’s planned dates usually took place. “Most of our places were actually Wiggins Pass [State Park] down in Naples and Bowditch Point Park [on Fort Myers Beach], but the beaches don’t look the same anymore,” she said. 

Wanting to carry on offering charcuterie boards and a date night setting to local couples, the concept of The Box was born.  

First signing a lease in February, it took nine months to get the new bar up and running due to permitting delays. Now, Iglehart’s first turn-key business is offering a place to set the mood for date night. 

Offering wines, including merlot, riesling and cabernet sauvignon, Iglehart said they aren’t wines one can pick up from the Publix down the street. “My distributor strictly uses them from South America and other countries,” she said. 

There are also wine mixed drinks, such as the Love Affair, which is prosecco, pink glitter, rose lemonade and frozen raspberries. Iglehart said one of her favorites is the Fatal Attraction, which is merlot, orange bitters and Coca-Cola.  

Date night wouldn’t be complete without a sweet treat, and The Box has its guests covered, offering a variety of desserts, including a vanilla bean cheesecake, a salted caramel crunch cake, key lime pie, chocolate covered strawberries and a limoncello berry mascarpone.  

A small and medium-sized charcuterie board with an assortment of two cheeses, pickles, meats, seasonal fruit, honey and crackers are also offered on the menu.  

To continue catering to couples, The Box also has a small shop section with items, such as drinking card games, massage oil and candles. “This is just basically everything you need for a fun date night in,” Iglehart said.  

In January, the wine bar will kick-off monthly events, including charcuterie classes and speed dating.  

The Box is open from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 4 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. 

“I love everything about love,” Iglehart said. “Dating and sparking that romance again, especially for people who’ve been married a long time. I’ve always loved doing things if I’m with somebody that just makes them feel special.”