TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — The annual Taste of the Beaches event is making a comeback after Hurricane damage led to its cancellation last year.
The goal is to drive up support for local businesses during a slower Fall season.
The event, organized by the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce, offers $10 tickets that allow visitors to sample food from participating restaurants of their choice. A portion of the proceeds this year is donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters.
For many beach businesses, this fall season has been particularly difficult. The high cost of repairs and less business than expected during the Summer season led to lower results.
And the slower travel season means more work to get people through their doors.
"I really wanted to get into Taste of the Beaches just to again meet a lot of those local residents who may not have found me otherwise," Brittany Feizulov, owner of Curious Soul Bakery and Coffee Shop.
The Curious Soul Bakery Coffee Shop on Treasure Island is among the newer businesses in the area. But despite not being officially opened, they still felt the effects of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
"There was probably about 1 foot of water, so we were definitely impacted, luckier than most, but it did set us back a lot, especially like the two back to back, so I would say it maybe backed us up 8 months or so," said Feizulov.
Just down the coast, Tiki Bagel on St. Pete Beach faced similar challenges. The restaurant opened just three weeks before Hurricane Helene hit, and the resulting damage forced them to close for two months.
Karen Powell, the owner of Tiki Bagel, said she thinks the slowdown in business is owed to people still recovering from last year's hurricanes.
"I've talked to a lot of the local business owners, especially the restaurants, and we think that's because a lot of the places are closed on the beach. Some people aren't coming here for vacation because of that, so we're trying to do a lot more things like participate in events like Taste of the Beach, to kind of get the word out there and get people in the door," said Powell.
Taste of the Beaches lasts through Oct. 12.
Share Your Story with Blake
Blake Phillips is based in Hillsborough County and shares stories from all over the Tampa Bay area. From public services to tourism, he wants to know about the things that matter to you. Use the form below to reach out to Blake and start a conversation.
.
A slew of new laws take effect in Florida
Nearly 30 new laws take effect in Florida on Oct. 1. We are highlighting the laws that are generating a lot of attention.
