Months after Hurricane Helene devastated the Island Shopping Center in Holmes Beach, the plaza is ready for a fresh start.

Jennifer Moore, owner of Sun and Surf, has deep roots in the shopping center — her family has owned the store since 1983.  “I grew up here. I was 11, and I’d come in after school to help out with little projects,” she told Bay News 9.

That tradition is continuing with her own children, but she admits there was a time when she wasn’t sure the store would survive. The hurricane sent nearly four feet of water surging through her shop, destroying most of what was inside.

“We were closed for eight months. It was extremely difficult,” Moore said. “But we powered through it, and we got through it in the end. It made us stronger — and hopefully better. It felt like we all got an upgrade at once.”

Moore reopened Sun and Surf last month and noticed neighboring stores were also beginning to return. That sparked her idea to organize a grand reopening celebration for the entire plaza.

The event is set for Friday, June 6, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and will showcase the resilience of local businesses and invite the community to return.

“This plaza is like a second home. I come here every day. I grew up here — and now my kids are growing up here,” she said. “This is about all the businesses, and how we came together as a community.”

Moore says the grand reopening marks not just a recovery, but a new chapter for the beloved shopping center.

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(Image credit: Spectrum News)

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