- October 30, 2024
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Longboat Key businesses were found in disarray after hurricanes Helene and Milton destroyed their locations and most of their inventory.
With no clue how to move forward, they look toward the community to help keep them in business with the hopes that residents find them necessary enough to donate.
"We have had multiple customers thankfully opening their checkbooks to us," said Debra Murphy, owner of Ventura's Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar in Whitney Plaza. "They want to help in any way to keep us on this island because we're an integral part and this island needs us."
If you want to support the small businesses of Longboat Key and St. Armands Circle, check out this roundup of GoFundMe pages and events.
Along with a hard summer, September was the worst month on record in the two years Ventura's has been open on Longboat Key.
"Then Hurricane Helene hit," said Murphy. "We have to replace everything. The flooring, chairs, tables and so much more."
Ventura's received about 8 inches of water inside the restaurant. This caused damage to the men's restroom, floors, chairs and tables, along with other structural damage. During the closure of Milton, the restaurant lost about $7,000 of food.
In starting a GoFundMe page, Murphy is hoping to raise $10,000 to pay bills and repairs, buy new fixtures and pay her staff as they work to keep the restaurant in business.
"I didn't want to do a GoFundMe because I didn't want to ask anybody for money," said Murphy. "But, we got to the point that after the Helene that, it was necessary. My husband Mike said, 'You should do it because it's not about you. You've got 15 families that depend on you.' So far, we got about $3,000. It wasn't a lot, but it got us through that little hump that we needed."
Visit GoFundMe.com/f/help-venturas-rebuild-after-hurricane-helene to support Ventura's Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar.
After falling in love with owning their gift shop in St. Armands Circle, Florence and Scott Keenan were saddened when 90% of its inventory was lost due to being flooded for the fifth time during the last hurricane season.
To raise $50,000 to repair their shop, the Keenans started a GoFundMe page. They hope to replace all lost inventory, pay rebuilding bills and help staff get by after the hurricanes.
"We are doing everything we can to save Garden Argosy again and take care of our dearest employees as we consider them our family," said Florence on her GoFundMe page. "Any help for our family at Garden Argosy will mean the world."
To donate, visit GoFundMe.com/f/save-garden-argosy-florence-and-scotts-dream.
Owner Jeffrey Snell has endured five hurricanes since being a business owner in Sarasota and has not been lucky with the outcomes. At his second store Cariloha in St. Armands Circle, it has become a critical situation for him to continue being an entrepreneur on the island.
Despite preparing as best as they could with sandbags and elevating items, the store received 2.5 feet of flooding along with losing 80% of its inventory. Snell started a GoFundMe page in hopes of raising the money to get the shop back in business.
"People donating to us would mean the difference between us getting reopened again and not," said Snell. "This is our fifth hurricane, and out of two stores in basically two years, we've rebuilt a number of times. Now, we're out of money and we need all the help we can get."
In hopes of raising $50,000, they plan to replace the flooring, purchase new fixtures and replenish inventory and supplies. They also plan to financially support their employees during the time they are closed.
Visit GoFundMe.com/f/help-cariloha-sarasota-recover-from-hurricane-helene to support Cariloha Sarasota.
For decades, Karavan Treasures from Turkey has brought unique Turkish trinkets to cities around the country, including Columbus, Ohio, Annapolis, Maryland and Sarasota.
Through hurricanes Helene and Milton, the St. Armands Circle location received about 4 feet of flooding, damaging its electrical system and inventory and rotting display cases and walls.
Trying to stay on the circle, owner Max Onder hopes to raise $20,000 to rebuild the shop along with replacing the inventory lost. An anonymous donor plans to match the first $5,000 of donations.
Visit GoFundMe.com/f/Karavan-Hurricane-Helene-Relief-Fund to donate to Karavan Treasures from Turkey.
Being on the second floor of a St. Armands Circle building, Gauthier Salon and Wellness Spa was spared from enduring any damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton. However, owners Sonia and Serge Gauthier were saddened when listening to the destruction their neighbors had to face.
During conversations with other St. Armands business owners, they realized many of the merchants didn't have flood insurance and would have trouble keeping their doors open for customers to support them.
Wanting to help, Gauthier Salon and Wellness Spa plans to host a Halloween party from 6 to 10 p.m. on Nov. 2 at its second-floor location, 369 St. Armands Circle. The proceeds will benefit the St. Armands Merchant Group.
"After Helene, I was in shock when talking to all the St. Armands merchants, but they are all very resilient people," said Sonia. "They still had energy and motivation after being destroyed. So, we want to recreate the same magic St. Armands Circle usually offers on Halloween to give people some hope and help."
For more information on the party or to buy a ticket, contact Sonia Gauthier at 388-5500 or email [email protected].
St. Armands Merchants Group plans to officially invite customers back to St. Armands Circle at the 35th annual St. Armands Circle Art Festival. Taking place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 9-10, all proceeds will benefit the merchants group.
“The business owners on St. Armands Circle were greatly impacted by the recent hurricanes," said Rachel Burns, executive director of the St. Armands Circle Association, in a press release. "Some have reopened, and we are looking forward to a full reopening in the next month or two. Hosting the St. Armands Circle Art Festival is another step in restoring our island, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to the circle.”
Most businesses are planning to open for the first time since the hurricane for the festival since it brings such a large amount of patrons. Attending and purchasing unique artwork from a wide array of mediums and price ranges will be an easy and fun way to support these local businesses.
For more information, call 561-746-6615 or email [email protected].
