Cape Coral Sports Bar Marks Three Decades With Block Party Celebration

BackStreets Sports Bar will host a block party on Nov. 22 from 3-10 p.m. to mark 30 years in business. Live music will play, and food trucks will be available.

Shelly Walton launched the venue on Dec. 1, 1995, inside a closed pizza shop one street behind Cape Coral Parkway. The place began as Marty Castillo's Upper Deck, named after her then-husband, who played for the Detroit Tigers.

"I maxed out my credit cards, taking multiple cash advances to the tune of $100,000 to do it," Walton said, according to News-Press. "I found a liquor license in escrow and financed it."

Walton purchased her partners' shares during her divorce in 1999. She renamed the bar BackStreets. Her staff grew from eight workers to 60 over the course of three decades.

"We offer health benefits, vacations, and 401(k)s," said Walton. "These are real jobs with real perks, and we're hardly ever hiring."

The kitchen makes food from scratch with quality ingredients. Staff members mix their own dough. 

The block party is for guests 21 or older. Entry is free, but a limited number of $100 VIP tickets can be purchased.

BackStreets Sports Bar sits at 915 SE 47th Terrace in Cape Coral.