HOLMES BEACH, Fla. — The cold beer was flowing, and so were the customers, as Duffy's Tavern in Holmes Beach reopened on Friday after two months.
Word spread quickly, not just on Anna Maria Island but Bradenton and Sarasota.
“I kinda knew we would be busy, but the turnout is fantastic," Peggi Davenport said.
Davenport and her four sisters run the business their mother bought more than 50 years ago. In September, Duffy's was closed due to their annual 3-week-long vacation.
“The 25th, the day we were supposed to reopen, was evacuation day," Davenport said.
Like much of the island, Duffy's endured the double blow from back-to-back hurricanes, suffering water damage from Helene and wind damage from Milton. During Helene, a storm surge brought a couple of feet of water inside Duffy's. A line drawn with a marker on the inside of the back door marks the water line. Some of the license plates that lined the wall under the bar were washed away.
Milton came along then and left a hole in the ceiling of their kitchen.
But locals came out in full force when the doors opened late Friday morning.
“Duffy’s is an institution, and we are all here to support our local businesses," Bill Shuman said.
Shuman was a longtime islander but now lives in Bradenton. He was happy to be back with familiar faces at the bar.
“I love the burgers and beer," Shuman said.
Duffy's is known by locals for having the coldest beers and best burgers on the island. The no-frills burgers are served alone in a cardboard tray. Cash-only for years, Duffy's now also takes Zelle, Venmo or Apple Pay.
Jessica Andrus grew up on the island but lives in town now. She is friends with the sisters at Duffy's and was there on Friday to support them and enjoy a burger.
“It’s nice to see the normalcy coming back and to see the community where it was," Andrus said.
Fortunate to have been spared major damage at her home, she's been helping whenever possible.
“Everyone has been working really hard. You know, anytime you had any free time, you felt guilty just sitting around doing nothing. You knew somebody needed help,” she added.
Lisa Kightlinger was so happy to discover that Duffy's was back open for her birthday weekend on the beach.
"Oh my gosh, so excited. The best, coldest beer, best burger on the beach," Kightlinger said. “It feels like life is back to normal again.”
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