A glimmer of hope: Ruskin restaurant committed to staying open after Hurricane Helene

Ruskin restaurant committed to staying open after Hurricane Helene

Hurricane Helene didn’t just strip people along Florida’s southeastern coast of power and utilities, but in many cases, also stripped countless people of their homes and their livelihoods.

RUSKIN - Hurricane Helene didn’t just strip people along Florida’s southeastern coast of power and utilities, but in many cases, also stripped countless people of their homes and their livelihoods.

A week ago, Sunny Blank, the owner of Lazy Gator, a seafood restaurant near the water in Ruskin, became a prime example as her restaurant flooded during Hurricane Helene.

"(The) floors were just damp," Blank said. "But you could tell on the refrigeration that water washed over the compressors. So, probably about six to eight inches inside the kitchen."

Sunny Blank, the owner of the Lazy Gator, walking through the restaurant after suffering flood damage from Hurricane Helene

Sunny Blank, the owner of the Lazy Gator, walking through the restaurant after sustain flood damage from Hurricane Helene.

Sunny estimates her repair costs to be 75,000 dollars, mostly in kitchen equipment. Even if she could afford it, the supply of new equipment is limited due to high demand in the area.

"Every restaurant up and down the coast is out of equipment, so it's hard to find." Blank said.

Lazy Gator is staying open through the challenges, mainly because Blank feels an obligation to support her employees.

"My employees are wonderful. I could not have gotten through without them," Blank said. "That's my biggest fight for them to get back open again at full capacity."

Vicki Silva, a two-year Lazy Gator kitchen employee, says she wouldn’t blame Blank if she closed the restaurant.

"I wouldn't have blamed her if she did throw in the towel," said Silva. "When you run down the road here, and you see everybody's lives on the road, they have nothing left."

Silva went further, saying the restaurant staying open means more than keeping employees employed; it offers hope to beaten-up Ruskin residents who have lost everything.

"They (Ruskin residents) can't even cook because they have nothing to do in their house," Silva said. "They come here to eat, and they just are thankful. They're very thankful."

As costs continue to mount, Blank is unsure how long she can keep the Lazy Gator open, but her message to anyone who lives in a storm-ravaged area is simple:

"Support small businesses. We're not big corporations. There's not big dollars, most of its mouth to mouth on our budgets," Blank said.

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