Months after a fire tore through part of Dolphin Village Plaza on Gulf Boulevard, businesses that survived say customer traffic hasn’t bounced back.

The May 13 blaze destroyed the CVS and heavily damaged Publix—two stores that shop owners say were key drivers of foot traffic.

“The foot traffic is completely gone. Zero,” Jerry Zamudio, owner of Beach Vibe Cycle Rentals, told Bay News 9. He bought the business in March, just two months before capturing cellphone video of smoke pouring from the other side of the plaza.

Flames gutted CVS before spreading to neighboring shops, including Publix. Zamudio said his sales have dropped as much as 90% since then.

“That Publix was a major, integral part of the community,” he said. “Those two stores were the major hubs for the shopping center. That’s why I chose this location.”

Signs now line the construction fence around the damaged area, directing customers to the open storefronts. But even businesses with more visibility say the recovery is slow.

At Buona Ristorante, Chef James Broderick said holiday weekend crowds have been lighter than expected. Business is down about 50%, with the restaurant’s windows looking out at the burned shell of the CVS.

“I think people see the barricades and assume the plaza is closed,” he said.

CVS has confirmed it will not reopen in the plaza. Publix plans to rebuild but hasn’t set a timeline.

That uncertainty is putting pressure on tenants like Zamudio.

“It’s unsustainable,” he said. “It’s like trying to see in the dark without a flashlight.”

He’s now considering relocating along Gulf Boulevard. Plaza owner Brixmor did not respond to a request for comment.

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