Latest news with #StPeteBeach
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Grove Surf and Coffee in St. Pete Beach reopens 9 months after Hurricane Helene
The Brief The Grove Surf and Coffee shop in St. Pete Beach has reopened nine months after Hurricane Helene. Helene flooded Grove Surf and Coffee with almost three feet of water. The shop is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday. ST. PETERSBURG BEACH, Fla. - A popular coffee shop in St. Pete Beach reopened its doors on Tuesday nine months after Hurricane Helene. Helene flooded Grove Surf and Coffee with almost three feet of water. What they're saying "As so many others, we were not fully prepared for what we saw," Lindsey Gottschling, who owns the shop with her husband Peter, said. "We have been here for five years at this location, and it was our heart and soul, and to show up and see all the damage that had happened overnight was really shocking, devastating," she said. "So much of the pieces we'd collected and our displays and things we'd had custom-made and artifacts from family, and all these little pieces of us that were here were just gone and covered in water. So, it was really hard to see. It was a hard pill to swallow," Lindsey said. Dig deeper They weren't able to start rebuilding until the spring due to permit delays. "That was something that really hurt," Peter Gottschling said. "Spring is the most important season for us beach businesses. Alot of us survive or not based on how spring business is, so that was really hard. To miss the holidays was hard. To miss spring was really hard," he said. Local perspective They opened the Indian Rocks Beach location just three months before Helene. That shop got six inches of water and was able to reopen faster. They moved managers from the St. Pete Beach location there until Tuesday. Tuesday morning, they reopened the doors to customers. "I keep saying I'm feeling every emotion. I actually feel so much relief and excitement, but it's also just like the reality of the last eight and a half months has completely sunk in. I don't think it fully hit me until just now seeing all the faces that we've missed so much," Lindsey said. "We haven't done this in a long, long time," Peter said. READ: St. Pete residents struggle to rebuild ahead of hurricane season as HUD funding plans take shape They also had pop-ups over the past several months while the St. Pete Beach location was rebuilt. "It definitely gave us some motivation to keep working towards this, like, you know, people will come back and support us once we're able to get the store back," Peter said. "To see the people show up for us after all this, it just means that we did exactly what we wanted to do and accomplish that, and I think we are forever thankful and grateful," Lindsey said. "We can never pay everyone back for what they've given back to us. The people, the customers that showed up after the storm with coolers and shovels, you can't replace that, so we're really, really lucky," she said. They both said they consider customers, especially those who helped them in the aftermath of the storms, family. The shop is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday. CLICK HERE:>>>Follow FOX 13 on YouTube The Source Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Kailey Tracy. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Travel Daily News
3 days ago
- Business
- Travel Daily News
TradeWinds Resort announces new Managing Director
Seasoned hospitality leader Scott Robbins brings decades of resort experience across the U.S. and Caribbean to TradeWinds Resort. ST. PETE BEACH, FLA. – TradeWinds Resort announce the appointment of Scott Robbins as Managing Director. With over three decades of leadership experience, Robbins brings a wealth of experience in opening and operating large-scale, award-winning resorts across the Caribbean and the U.S. His proven track record and strategic vision make him the ideal leader for one of St. Pete-Clearwater's most cherished family-friendly beachfront destinations. Most recently, he served as Complex General Manager at Margaritaville Resort Orlando and Embassy Suites Condo Hotel, where he successfully managed a multi-faceted destination property featuring hotels, retail, restaurants, entertainment venues, and a state-of-the-art water park. Prior to that, Robbins held senior leadership roles with Aimbridge Hospitality, Sandals Resorts, and Wyndham Hotels, overseeing the launch and operation of numerous high-profile resorts in Jamaica and the Turks and Caicos. 'We're excited to welcome Scott Robbins to the TradeWinds family,' said Travis Johnson, Hotel Manager at TradeWinds Resort. 'Scott brings an extraordinary depth of experience in launching and managing world-class resorts across both domestic and international markets. His proven leadership, innovative approach to hospitality and unwavering commitment to guest satisfaction make him an outstanding addition to TradeWinds.' 'I'm honored to join the remarkable team at TradeWinds,' said Robbins. 'TradeWinds Resort has earned its reputation as a beloved destination on the Gulf Coast, known for its vibrant energy and warm hospitality. I'm excited to build on that tradition while identifying new ways to improve the guest experience.' In his new role, Robbins will oversee the full spectrum of operations across TradeWinds Resort's expansive 40-acre beachfront property. This includes strategic leadership of more than 700 guest rooms and villas, nine pools, 16 diverse food and beverage outlets, 70,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space, and a wide range of recreational amenities. Known for its iconic floating water park and the three-story High Tide Water Slide, TradeWinds is a premier family-friendly destination on St. Pete Beach. With a background in managing large-scale resorts, multi-unit operations and complex hospitality developments – including hotels, condo-hotels, vacation clubs, entertainment venues and water parks – Robbins is uniquely positioned to drive performance, enhance guest experiences, and lead continued innovation at the property.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
St. Pete Beach bar owner severely injured in attack, deputies search for suspects
The Brief The owner of Nikko's Dog Bar in St. Pete Beach was severely injured after being attacked during a fight he was trying to break up. The fight erupted inside the bar when a small group began assaulting members of a bachelor party. The owner was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery after suffering severe injuries, including shattered bones in his foot and a concussion. ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. - Tony Campetti, the owner of Nikko's Dog Bar, is still coming to terms with a violent incident that occurred at his establishment on May 4. The backstory A fight erupted inside the bar when a small group began assaulting members of a bachelor party. Campetti and a friend attempted to intervene, but he was attacked from behind. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube "One of the guys came from outside to inside and just started punching one of the guys in the back of the head from the bachelor party," Campetti recounted. The situation escalated quickly, resulting in Campetti being knocked to the ground. "The husband or boyfriend came from behind. And then next thing you know, I was on my back in a pool of blood," he said. VIDEO: Bradenton officer dragged by suspect trying to take off during traffic stop Campetti was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery after suffering severe injuries, including shattered bones in his foot and a concussion. "They said I needed nine staples in my head. They had to do four stitches on the inside of my mouth. My jaw was sore for about a week," he explained. Dig deeper In a stroke of luck for investigators, one of the individuals involved left their credit card at the bar. Detectives have subpoenaed the person's bank records and are reviewing surveillance footage to identify those responsible. The timing of the attack couldn't have been worse for Campetti, a father of two, whose daughter is set to get married in a few weeks. READ: New Orleans jailbreak: Crypto site lets users bet on next inmate capture "I got to walk her down the aisle like this. It hurts. It's my baby," he lamented. Despite the physical and emotional toll, Campetti is determined to be present for his daughter's wedding, albeit with the aid of an iWalk 3.0, a hands-free mobility device. "It's basically a peg leg that enables me to be hands-free, you know? But yeah, it's just tough," he said. Local perspective In his 11 years of running Nikko's Dog Bar, Campetti has never experienced anything like this. "People go out, have a good time. I get it, but to be able to get to the point where they're looking for trouble for no reason, yeah, to me, that's a person that shouldn't even go out in public. Stay home," he stated. MORE: 1 killed, 1 injured in Lakeland convenience store shooting: Police In the wake of the attack, the local restaurant and bar community in St. Pete Beach has rallied around Campetti, raising nearly $20,000 to assist with his medical expenses. "It's amazing, blows my mind, you know, the local businesses who stepped up, friends of mine. It's touching, you know, that people actually care," Campetti expressed. As the investigation continues, Campetti remains grateful for the support from his community and hopeful for justice. The Source The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13's Jordan Bowen. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS: STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Corey Avenue businesses celebrate reopening after withstanding back-to-back hurricanes
The Brief Businesses on Corey Ave. celebrated reopening after withstanding back-to-back hurricanes last fall. The entire city was invited to a block party featuring the lighting of the historic Beach Theatre, a ribbon-cutting and a huge celebration, honoring their grand re-opening and their resilience. You can also support the businesses on Corey Avenue by attending their Sunday market on Sunday, May 18, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. ST. PETERSBURG BEACH, Fla. - Like so many businesses across St. Pete Beach, storm surge and wind damage from back-to-back hurricanes last fall completely destroyed stores, restaurants, and even a theatre that sits along popular Corey Ave. What they're saying "We have been closed for three months," said Jasmine Hunter, owner of Coastal Cottage. "We had a lot of work to do, and we had 30 vendors that rely on the store." "It was pretty bad in here," Jasmine's co-owner and husband, Vince Hunter, added. " It's hard to imagine when you look at it now, but when you first opened the door, the front window was broken and sand was all over the floor, everything was just laying all over the place, the ceiling even dropped down." While the cleanup was a shocking and painful process, shop owners like Elizabeth Nowak, of Elizabeth's Bartique, say it was reassuring to see just how many people came together to help them; from their Corey Ave. neighbors to complete strangers. "You had a dumpster on each corner of the street filled with all the damaged items," Nowak added." Clothing, store fixtures, it was just something out of a war zone, but we all came together." READ: St. Pete leaders discuss infrastructure and storm preparedness ahead of hurricane season "It's been a long road, but luckily, with the support of our neighbors and everyone around us, it's been a great recovery," said Ken Hautmann, owner of 'Chill' Restaurant & Bar. "Some of the locations are still not open up on the street, but we're getting closer. I'm moving forward, and we're looking forward to the rest of the stores being able to open." Saturday was a celebration of just that, as the entire city was invited to a Block Party featuring the lighting of the historic Beach Theatre, a ribbon cutting and a huge celebration, honoring their grand re-opening and their resilience. "It's not just a celebration of our opening, but it's a celebration of the community also coming together," Vince Hunter stressed. "I mean, they were all dealing with so much, but at the same time, they were so great to all. The businesses here." "It's absolutely the greatest feeling," Nowak said as tears welled up in her eyes. "It's emotional. But we are big. And we're not going away." What you can do You can also support the businesses on Corey Avenue by attending their Sunday market on Sunday, May 18, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. CLICK HERE:>>>Follow FOX 13 on YouTube The Source Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Regina Gonzalez. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
