Florida restaurateur faces recovery challenges after Hurricane Helene

In Florida, small business owners on the Gulf Coast are grappling with severe damage following Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Helene, a Category 4 storm, made landfall last month, bringing winds up to 140 mph and a record storm surge of 15 feet. One of the hardest-hit establishments is Café L'Europe in St. Armands Circle, which has experienced flooding four times in the past 18 months. The latest storm resulted in the complete destruction of the restaurant's equipment, with estimates for repairs reaching $600,000. John Horne, CEO of Oysters Rock Hospitality, expressed the emotional toll of the disaster, describing it as an 'absolute gut punch.' He highlighted that every business in the area has been affected, and many owners are reconsidering their future in the wake of repeated storms. The financial impact is staggering, with private market insured losses from Helene estimated between $8 billion and $14 billion. Despite taking precautions before Hurricane Milton, Horne's café still suffered additional flooding. He has called for improvements to storm water drain pumps, which have failed during previous storms. The ongoing challenges have led some business owners to contemplate closing their doors permanently, fearing that rising insurance costs may soon make it unfeasible to continue operations. The situation underscores the vulnerability of coastal businesses to extreme weather events and raises questions about the long-term viability of such establishments in the face of climate change and increasing storm frequency.