Florida retailers continue to rebuild from hurricanes

Hurricanes Helene and Milton hit many parts of Florida back to back.

Across Florida, some seaside retailers have been in the process of rebuilding and cleaning up in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Hurricane Helene made landfall Sept. 26 in northwestern Florida as a Category 4 storm, with high winds and heavy rains. Then less than a week later, Hurricane Milton made landfall along Florida’s western coast with high winds and storm surges.

Some seaside retailers that were hit by both Helene and Milton share that they are in the process of rebuilding.

Beach Bazaar has served as a coastal gift shop in Siesta Key, Florida, for about 40 years. The retailer shared on its Facebook page that it will be temporarily closed as it cleans up water damage in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

In Boca Grande, Florida, Aqua Boutique flooded due to Hurricanes Helene and Milton and is now in the rebuilding process.

“As most of you know, we took on water and were closed for a year with Hurricane Ian,” the coastal retailer shares on its Instagram. “Not even a whole year back into our location we flooded with Hurricane Helene and then a week later Hurricane Milton, but this time we lost everything, 4 feet or more of water in the store.”

The owner’s sister started a GoFundMe to help the retailer rebuild.

Sun Coast Surf Shop in Treasure Island, Florida, shares that it is also in the rebuilding process. Store Buyer Olivia Tiannoi says the storefront experienced some minor damage from Hurricane Milton. But, she adds, the community has been hit hard in the aftermath of the storms.

“Physically we’re doing good, but our community is in no place to spend money at the shop,” she says. “Tourism the rest of this year and even next will take a hit. We’ve had to cut down on our employees’ hours.”

With the community hurting, Tiannoi says Sun Coast Surf Shop has found some unique ways to give back to people in need.

Following Hurricane Helene, the retailer set up a rack of clothes on its porch for anyone in need as well as waters and packs of lunch. Tiannoi adds that the shop is donating 10% of sales for the next two months to Reach St.Pete, a local nonprofit.

“I really wanted to give to a nonprofit focused on our local community,” she says. “We’re trying to do what we can to help everyone around here.”

Other coastal retailers are also doing what they can to help other businesses and individuals in need after the storms this past month.

Diana Bennett, general manager at Ocean Magic Surf Shop in Jupiter, Florida, says the storefront only had to close down on the days Hurricanes Helene and Milton made landfall and were able to get back to business quickly. But she notes that not all businesses have been that lucky.

To give back to others, Bennett says the surf shop hosted a donation drive outside its storefront Oct. 12 in partnership with Out the Back, a surf apparel company, to collect supplies for people in need on Florida’s west coast.

“Out the Back is a really great company, good guys who use their following to get donations,” says Bennett. “A lot of people came out which was great.”