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Elvis, Frank and Zoltar remain to be auctioned off at the now-closed Shell Factory & Nature Park

A working Zoltar Fortune Teller game is one of the remaining items to be auctioned off from the Shell Factory & Nature Park in North Fort Myers.
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A working Zoltar Fortune Teller game is one of the remaining items to be auctioned off from the Shell Factory & Nature Park in North Fort Myers.

Before too much longer a kitschy example of Old Florida — the Shell Factory & Nature Park in North Fort Myers — will be a thing of the past.

However, there are still chances to capture a little bit of the site's nostalgia in the guise of Elvis, Sinatra, Zoltar the fortune teller, a giant shell and several other remaining artifacts.

Fans who missed the December auction of some of the inventory of the now-closed site will have two more chances to grab a bit of the past at an auction that is live now through Jan. 28. A third and final auction is also planned to run in February.

The virtual auctions, hosted by Fort Myers Auction, will liquidate the remaining inventory from the beloved 86-year-old entertainment destination.

Online bidding for the second auction is now live and will conclude at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 28. More than 750 lots are available with highlights of the current auction including:

  • The original Pick-A-Pearl giant scallop shell
  • Working Zoltar Fortune Teller game
  • Largest Gift Store Sign and other Shell Factory branded signs 
  • Tommy’s Budweiser neon sign 
  • Elvis statue and pictures
  • Frank Sinatra statue 
  • Multiple coin-operated kiddie rides 
  • Multiple dinosaur statues 
  • All jewelry 
  • Theatre costumes 
  • Extensive restaurant equipment, supplies and furniture 

Further details, dates and registration for the final online auction in February, which will include contents of the tool room, event storage, pallet rack and catering equipment, will be announced later.

Bidders must register an account to view and bid on available items online at ShellFactoryAuction.com. Items will be sold as-is and buyers must pick up items by appointment.

Established in North Fort Myers in 1938, the 18-acre, old-Florida roadside attraction entertained multiple generations with amusement-style rides, arcade games, miniature golf, 50,000 square feet of gift shops, a 4.5-acre nature park with over 350 animals, birds, reptiles and fish that have been rehomed since the attraction closed, and much more.

In 1997, Cronin and her late husband, Tom, took the helm of the property when it was under foreclosure and transformed it from a roadside tourist spot to a sought-out destination for locals, seasonal residents and tourists.

The park, which closed in September 2024, also supported many local nonprofits by serving as the host venue for countless fundraisers and events that rallied the community in support of important community, animal and wildlife missions.

About Shell Factory & Nature Park

For 86 years, the Shell Factory & Nature Park entertained children and the young at heart, with something for everyone before closing in September 2024. The sought-out attraction provided a full day of fun, including amusement-style rides, arcade games, gift shops and much more. The Nature Park, run by a nonprofit organization, offered over 350 critters, birds, reptiles and fish, including an armadillo to a zebra.

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