SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — A handful of businesses on St. Armands Circle have reopened less than two weeks after Hurricane Milton devastated the area for the second time in a few weeks.
Venezia Ristorante, Settimi’s Artisan Gelato, Daiquiri Deck, Shore, and Lynches Pub are among the few we saw open on Tuesday afternoon.
Lemon Bay, area canals littered with debris after storm surge from Hurricane Milton
The shops and restaurants that have been fortunate enough to reopen, however, haven’t seen the foot traffic they’re used to because the vast majority of the circle’s merchants remain closed and under construction and tourism has slowed since the storms.
“There are about 110 merchants out here, and unfortunately only a handful have reopened, but that will soon change. There’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes, and they will come back,” Shore owner Tom Leonard said. “I expect it to be probably 80 to 90% open by Thanksgiving, if not before, but I hope that doesn’t deter people from coming out here and visiting a few places that are open.”