PINELLAS CO., Fla. — It's been one month since a devastating fire destroyed much of the Dolphin Village shopping plaza on St. Pete Beach.
The fire closed down the Publix and the CVS, and business owners say it's impacting them.
Watch full report from Casey Albritton
"It's even a little stressful, and a few anxious moments of wondering what is going to happen to this complex once the fire hit. Once the fire hit, would people still come to the area?" Top Shape Fitness' LeeAnn Moore said.
Business owners in the Dolphin Village shopping plaza on St. Pete Beach have had a rough year.
"At the same time, our house got flooded and we are still rebuilding our home," Moore said.
From the hurricanes, to a devastating fire in May, it's been one thing after the other.
Scene still active after crews battle fire at CVS on St. Pete Beach
"It was unbelievable in sorts, couldn't believe it was actually happening," Beach Vibe Cycles' Jerry Zamudio said.
About a month ago, the Publix and CVS in the plaza went up in flames and closed down.
It's having an impact on nearby small businesses also in the plaza, like Top Shape Fitness.
"It's very quiet…we don't get a lot of people just walking around. Obviously people come into Publix if they are just coming to the beach for the day or residents, so we don't get that foot traffic," Moore said.
Another business feeling the impact is a bike rental shop called Beach Vibe Cycle rentals.
"Once May came around and the fire happened, we've taken a nose dive and we haven't recovered yet," Zamudio said.
Now a fence surrounds the Publix and the CVS, making the area look closed. Business owners said they are trying to get that message out that they are still open.
"My hope is that people feel confident that there is activity here and come back," Moore said.
"Lets be a community, lets support each other, lets have each other's backs," Zamudio said.
Pasco County woman trying to rebuild mobile home after hurricanes
"I cried, of course, because I've worked very hard getting it nice, which has been difficult for me since I lost my husband and being alone,” Kelly Welty said.
Welty's mobile home lost its roof during Hurricane Milton. She said it was the only one in the Buena Vista community to get totaled by a tornado.
