SARASOTA, Fla. — At first glance, as you walk about St. Armands Circle in Sarasota, you see a picture-perfect community.
“I come down and get my hair done every month, and I shop, and I’m so glad the stores are finally open,” Linda Smith said with a shopping bag in hand.
WATCH: Businesses in St. Armands Circle rebound nearly one year after Hurricane Helene flooding
She remembers a time not too long ago, when the area looked a lot different after back-to-back hurricanes.
“They were totally wiped out,” said Smith.
“What does it look like now?” Tampa Bay 28 reporter Mary O’Connell asked.
“It’s beautiful,” replied Smith.
Flooding from Hurricane Helene inundated St. Armands Circle, essentially putting the area underwater with floodwaters stretching every corner.
Hurricane Milton brought a double whammy.
“It was a long process in the beginning, trying to find reputable contractors and working with the city,” said Gary Stehberger. “It was a lot of work.”
Stehberger is the Manager at Natural Comfort Footwear.
“What was that recovery process like?” asked O’Connell.
“It was basically getting out all the damaged merchandise into a dumpster and cleaning, sweeping, and getting everything ready for the process of rebuilding,” replied Stehberger.
Gretchen Shutrump works at Crazy Shirts just a few doors down.
“We had to close because there was about four, five feet of water that came in here, and all the lower shelf’s merchandise was ruined,” said Shutrump.
Coming up on one year since Helene, Shutrump explained they’re slowly returning to normal.
“It feels good to see them all recovering now,” she said.
It’s a close-knit community, described by businesses as a family, that’s welcoming visitors back with open arms.
“I’m very grateful that being that family, mass we have here with all the stores, where we’re at,” said Stehberger. “It is off-season, and it’s a little slower, but I believe we’re doing wonderful.”
Share Your Story with Mary
Mary O’Connell has a primary focus on education-related stories for Tampa Bay 28. But she also keeps an eye on public health concerns and the always-changing car insurance market. Reach out to Mary to share any of your questions or concerns.
.
Hillsborough County cameras will soon target speeders throughout the school day
Drivers in 29 Hillsborough County school zones will soon face photo enforcement throughout the entire school day.
