In 1983, Bob Melvin decided to make Boca Grande his home. Melvin moved from Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo to the Boca Grande Club, where he excelled at selling condominiums, homes and lots on and around Boca Grande. By 1999, his reputation as a top island area Realtor allowed him to establish Gasparilla Properties, which is now the Island's premier Real Estate Company. Melvin has brokered multi-million dollar properties including luxury beach, bay golf, residential, multi-family, commercial, and land. One of his proudest achievements is having been instrumental in the Coral Creek Club, which has a private golf and jetport for members. The course is currently ranked 27th in the state and #1 in Southwest Florida. "There are very few places where you can fly into a private jetport, play at a spectacular private golf course and live on the beach 10 minutes away".

Melvin has been an elected board Supervisor for the Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority, board member of the Boca Grande Child Care Center, Chairman of the Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association, Bike Path Committee, member of the Fire Department, Gasparilla Inn, Boca Grande Club, Boca Bay, Boca Grande Pass Yacht Club, Lemon Bay Golf Club, Lemon Bay Conservancy, as well as the Placida Rotary Club.  Bob was the original founding member of the Tom Fazio golf course in Placida, the Coral Creek Club.

Bob Melvin will say Boca Grande has not changed much since he first laid eyes on the village in the late 1970s. "That's why it's so special," he said. "It hasn't had the development of Siesta Key, Marco Island, even Sanibel". There are less than 2,500 properties. It's more laid back - and that's the beauty of it."

Boca Grande is a small residential community on Gasparilla Island, southwest Florida. Gasparilla Island is a part of both Charlotte and Lee Counties, while the actual village of Boca Grande, which is home to many seasonal and year-round residents, is entirely in the Lee County portion of the island.

Its name - Spanish for "Big Mouth" - comes from the mouth of the waterway, called Boca Grande Pass, at the southern tip of the island. The pass was used as a busy shipping point for many years as the waters in the pass are naturally deep. Processed phosphate from the Bone Valley region would be loaded onto waiting cargo vessels via. the Seaboard Air Line Railway at the dock located on the southern tip of the island. Shipping business to the island declined when the Port of Tampa was later dredged and phosphate shipping operations moved north to locations along Tampa Bay.

This is one of Florida's most beautiful Gulf Coast barrier islands. A visit to Boca Grande is like stepping back in time without high-rise condominiums to spoil the "Old Florida" charm. Enjoy a carefully preserved part of Florida's history and beauty and some of the best fishing in the world.