GULFPORT, Fla. — Gulfport’s popular downtown area was overcome with water from Hurricane Helene.
The record-setting surge pushed several feet of water inside many of the businesses, and some are still closed nearly three months after Helene.
Gulfport Beach Bazaar is one of the few shops that was able to open back up last month.
“We’re one of the lucky ones, and a few of the restaurants are really lucky,” said Michael Hooper, manager of Gulfport Beach Bazaar.
He can hardly believe it.
“It was really hard. I mean, I still don’t even know if it’s really hit me yet,” said Hooper.
Gulfport Beach Bazaar got about 5 feet of water inside.
“We were prepared for water, you know, we’ve always gotten ankle maybe up to knee height water in here, so we were prepared for that, but once it raised above the mailbox outside, I knew we were in trouble,” said Hooper.
They lost about 90% of their inventory.
“Once the water is in here, it’s just like a washing machine. It’s just sloshing back and forth. Fixtures are turning over,” said Hooper.
They had to shut down for about six weeks after Helene. Almost everything inside Gulfport Beach Bazaar is now new.
While the storms this year brought so much damage, they also brought people together.
“I met people I hadn’t met before. This really brought us together. You didn’t even have to ask; people would just walk right on in saying, 'What can I do? Put me to work, let me do something,'” said Hooper.
He is hoping people looking for last-minute Christmas gifts will consider shopping local.
“If you can’t find something in this store, you’re really not looking hard enough,” said Hooper.
Shops impacted by the storms are relying on community support to make it through.
“Every time you support a shop like ours, the money really goes back into the community,” said Hooper.
“We took a pretty hard hit but we still have something for everybody in here,” he added.
Gulfport Beach Bazaar is hosting a sip and shop event on Saturday, December 21, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Local vendors will be there for you to get last-minute holiday gifts.
