VENICE — For nearly 80 years, an old trolley car turned beachfront counter service bar served the North Jetty community.
But after two back-to-back hurricanes, The Trolley — formerly the Fish Camp — will be closing its doors for good.
Now, its owners are hoping to find a way to help Venice remember it forever.
The Bloomquist brothers took over ownership of The Trolley in 2021, where they returned the trolley car back to its former glory and doubled customer sales.
The building was called the Trolley Nebraska, transported from Tampa in 1946 to Nokomis Beach, where it has weathered dozens of tropical storms and hurricanes since.
When Category 4 Hurricane Ian hit in 2022, Bloomquist said only an overhang and a table were swept away, leaving most of the trolley car intact.
The building’s extension from its makeover remained, with its original gold trim and green painted walls still standing.
However, that was not the case with Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Hurricane Helene came through with storm surge and wind damage, shutting down the Trolley. The business was forced to join the long waiting list of county reviews and repairs.