Fort Myers Beach, Fla.- An historic day on Fort Myers Beach, alcohol is now permitted on the sand.

It's a big day for Nemos On The Beach, they have been given the green light to serve customers drinks in their hand, while their toes are in the sand.

"We were the first customers to be served out onto the beach," said Stephanie Tesdaho.

Stephanie Tesdaho is the first to quench her thirst with an alcohlic beverage on the beach.

"I feel like a celebrity, with all these cameras taking my picture- it's awesome!"

It's been a long race to the finish line for Nemos On The Beach, but they've been approved to serve drinks on the sand.

"I figured it would be a matter of time before this happened and now it's finally real," said bartender, Ryan Welsh.

Nemos, along with other island businesses, applied for that permit, that request was granted by town hall. And now the restaurant has expanded onto the beach.

"How far out has your restaurant expanded?" "Well, let me show you, right here from where the sand begins, all the way to the end of the rope- 50 feet out," Welsh explained.

Before booze was allowed on the beach, everyone was confined to drinking on the deck.

"We were here the other day actually and we sat up here and it's just a lot different with the wind and the beach is right here," said Tesdaho.

But the process to serve in between this rope and post wasn't easy. It's what's being called a "silent competition" between beach front businesses waiting to see who would be the first to serve alcohol on the sand.

"We had a grand opening three weeks ago when we thought we were going to get approval, but we didn't get our permits signed in time and it was pushed back three weeks," said Welsh.

And Nemos did it first.

Next week an official ribbon cutting will be held. Other beach front businesses are still waiting their permit approval. Nemos can serve until 9 p.m. or one hour after sunset, which ever comes first.