Local businesses, whether fully recovered or still recovering from 2024 hurricanes, are gearing up to capitalize on the spring tourist season.
And tourist season includes spring break vacations across Florida.
Less than six months after Hurricane Milton’s Oct. 9 landfall, some businesses — like AMI Beach Hut — find themselves back on track and gaining steam, while others continue working toward a return.
Mike DeLeo, an owner of the AMI Beach Hut, 9901 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria, told The Islander March 6 that his business had fully recovered from the 2024 storm season.
Like many businesses across the island, AMI Beach Hut — a convenience store with ice cream, alcohol and beach gear — sustained water damage from the storm surges brought by hurricanes Helene and Milton.
However, the owners were luckier than most and only had to close for about a month to complete repairs.
AMI Beach Hut reopened by late October/early November but business was slow up until the end of the year, according to DeLeo.
Then, business surged with Christmas and the new year.
“The first busy day that we had where I was able to be in here and chit-chat with customers and see people smile and laugh and just hang out and be in my store was awesome,” DeLeo said. “It’s nice to have that back.”
DeLeo said the busy holiday season was a “good sign of things to come” for the spring and, so far, he’s been right. He said business has continued to gain momentum.
“It’s slowly picking up every day,” he said.
How much more it picks up remains to be seen but DeLeo said that business was already back in line with last year’s numbers.
“We are just as busy through the week as we were last year, which is surprising,” he said. “Everything is back on track. … It’s very hopeful.”
Many businesses, like Duncan Real Estate, 5914 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, have yet to fully recover from last year’s storms.
The company represents buyers and sellers of real property on the island, as well as operates a roster of vacation rentals.
Owner Darcie Duncan wrote in a March 6 text message to The Islander that about 65% of those properties had been restored and were back in operation.
The remaining 35% of the company’s properties may not be restored until the summer, according to Duncan.
However, that has not stopped business from revving up for spring.
“Our rentals are completely booked for spring break,” Duncan wrote. “We are getting lots of inquiries and bookings for the summer already.”
“Things are looking up and we are very busy. All things considered we are very pleased and the guests have all been so great and excited to return,” she added.
On the less fortunate side of things, some businesses have yet to reopen at all and may miss out on much of the spring break spending.
The Sun and Surf Beach Shop, an apparel and souvenir store in the Island Shopping Center at 5418 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, falls into that category.
General manager Jennifer Moore told The Islander March 6 that the 4,500-square-foot store took on four feet of water during last year’s storms, causing extensive water damage.
She said water ruined the walls, doors, trim, electrical work and clothing racks.
After months of restoration and cleaning, plenty of work remains, including the electric and drywall.
“It’s been a lot of hard work and sweat and tears,” Moore said. “Our shopping center unfortunately got really hit. … There’s not enough workers and too much work to get done.”
She said the store was aiming to reopen in April, meaning the business will miss much of spring break.
Nevertheless, Moore said they would take their time restoring the shop, do it right and ensure customers could return to a safe environment.
In the meantime, she remains excited to reopen as soon as it is safe and sensible.
“Of course, I wish I would be open next week. … There’s a lot of stuff that still has to happen before we can have shoppers in the store,” Moore said. “When we can open the doors, that’ll be well worth all this work.”
“It’ll be a whole new store. A whole new adventure and chapter,” she added.