Months after Helene, popular Treasure Island bar and restaurant to reopen with a bang

Ricky T's Bar and Grille to reopen on Friday

After five months of rebuilding the popular bar and restaurant thanks to Hurricane Helene’s damage, the owner said they’re reopening Friday with a block party. Kailey Tracy reports.

TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. - Workers bolted on Ricky T’s sign on Wednesday – a sure sign of things to come on Treasure Island.

Workers bolting in Ricky T's sign.

"We have food trucks coming here," Ricky T’s owner, Brad Piche, said. "We have bands, and we have one hell of a party planned."

The backstory:

After five months of rebuilding the popular bar and restaurant from Hurricane Helene’s damage, Piche said they’re re-opening Friday with a block party.

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"It’s pretty extensive," Piche said about the damage. "When you get a tidal surge of nine feet, we’re standing five feet above sea level, so nine feet is four feet up the walls. It brings in the beach sand. It brings in the dirty water flood."

Ricky T's surveillance cameras captured the nine-foot storm surge during Hurricane Helene.

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Piche said, "Primarily, everything from five feet and down was destroyed."

Piche said they’re building back stronger, installing concrete bars and floodgates, and waterproofing the inside.

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Damage outside Treasure Island restaurant Ricky T's left from Hurricane Helene.

What they're saying:

As crews continue to work on the building itself, Ricky T’s’ staff is getting ready for customers.

"We're trying to rally the troops for sure. This is the first staff meeting that we've had in quite some time," Piche said Wednesday about the employee meeting.

"It's more than a business. It's a home, for sure. This is a family business. So, it's not a typical corporate-run place. This is very family-oriented," Piche said. "The people that have been working here, a lot of them, have been here a long time. A lot of our customers and people have been here a long time. So, the relations go a lot deeper."

Employees of Ricky T's during the Wednesday staff meeting.

Piche said the work on the inside is a little behind schedule, but they’ll announce the re-opening date for the inside of the restaurant at the party on Friday night.

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"It's a big step. It’s another chapter moving forward. Everybody's been sort of misplaced for the last four-plus months," Piche said. "Everybody's been trying to find work, find a place to live, get their vehicle situations straightened out. It has been a challenge for everybody."

Crews working on repairing Ricky T's restaurant ahead of their re-opening block party on Friday.

"It's a big deal for all of us," Piche said about Friday’s party. "I think we're excited. The community is excited, and we're expecting it to be a huge success," Piche said.

What's next:

The party starts at 4 p.m. on Friday, and the Big Brother Band will start at 6 p.m.