TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — Caddy's Treasure Island is welcoming back locals and tourists after being closed since late September.
Caddy's General Manager Stephen Santasieri said they reopened last week after making adjustments.
They're operating in an outdoor space.
"Us putting up a tent, being able to operate food out of a food truck, we have portable restrooms so we have basically everything that you need in order to operate efficiently and correctly. It's been a blessing for us because we've been able to make this happen," said Stephen Santasieri, Caddy's General Manager.
Last year, Hurricane Helene caused significant damage to Caddy's main building.
"Everything that you could say that went wrong, went wrong. The place is ruined. The bathrooms are gone, a few of our bars that were outside were just completely missing. They're gone, sand was as tall as anything," said Santasieri.
The City of Treasure Island recently passed an ordinance allowing restaurant owners to apply for a special permit to reopen in a limited capacity.
Restaurants may set up tents and operate out of food trucks as owners continue to make repairs following back-to-back hurricanes.
"Everything people owned, all the dry wall on the curbs for a month. It was sad. I think people are happy to get back out here and enjoy the beach a little bit. I have family visiting from Wisconsin," said Kate Ciembronowicz who lives in St. Petersburg.
Brady Grupa is visiting Treasure Island from Wisconsin.
"I just love the sand, the beach, the people. The people are so nice, love this area for sure," he said.
Santasieri hopes to have the main building back open within the next year. He said it's a blessing to be able to welcome customers back sooner.
"The island as a whole has been showing a good amount of recovery," he said.
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