DAYTONA BEACH, FL — As cleanup efforts continue in Volusia County, Daytona Beach businesses are feeling the effects of two storms that landed within weeks of each other.
What you need to know
- Rainforest and damage have revealed a lack of tourists along the Daytona Beach boardwalk in recent weeks
- The destination is one of the most popular places in the city for tourists.
- “It was pretty late,” said Kim Barrett, who works at Michael’s on the Beach.
Most shops near the boardwalk and pier expect fewer visitors as the summer ends, but recent storms have made that all the more evident.
“It was pretty late,” said Kim Barrett, who works at Michael’s on the Beach.
Barrett spends the day after Nicole has been well documented on her phone.
As she scrolls through photos of the storm damage, she’s just grateful that the store she works at kept its doors open after the landfall.
“So we took a squeegee and pushed all the water out,” Barrett explained.
Michael’s is one of several stores on the city’s Daytona Beach Boardwalk.
The destination is one of the city’s most popular destinations for tourists, and Michael’s is one of the many gift shops where you can purchase souvenirs before heading home.
“And I don’t even know where it came from. Can you see those rocks?” asked Barrett, pointing to the debris washed up on the beach.
She has lived in Daytona Beach for 10 years and has been amazed by the strength of the past two storms.
Being so close to the water, the gift shop had shutters to keep the business safe.
These efforts proved vital as powerful waves and winds hit the coast.
Outside the store was a different situation.
“Ian didn’t come out our stairs, but Nicole came. So it was a one-two punch. Nicole hit where Ian didn’t,” Barrett explained.
Overall, Michael’s had several water leaks in the building and sand from the ocean got into the store.
Since then they have been able to clean everything up.
Barrett and her colleagues say they are grateful for the shutters that have helped keep the store safe.
“Given what happened on our coastline, we’re very fortunate that neither of them did much damage to us,” she said.
