SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — St. Armands Circle wasn’t as busy as usual on Wednesday, with some stores closed in preparation for Hurricane Helen, and some even closing early to complete last-minute preparations for the storm.
The biggest concern for coastal Sarasota residents is the threat of a storm surge from this hurricane. The risk for storm surge in the area is between 4 and 7 feet, and many businesses dealt with flooding in the past few months.
Hurricane Helen: Sarasota County shelters, evacuation orders
“We’ve had flooding a few times,” said Max Onder, owner of Caravan Treasures in Turkey. “It’s really frustrating, but it seems to get worse every time. I think flooding is one of the worst things.”
Onder has been running his shop in the Circle for the past two and a half years, but the business has been around for decades. Having dealt with floods in the past, he said he will not use sandbags this time, but tape to seal the front and back windows and doors of his shop.
His shop is filled with intricate Turkish carpets and lanterns, and he spent Wednesday elevating some of the merchandise off the ground to protect it in case water gets inside.
The owner also showed support to the neighboring business, Lobster Craft, by putting tape over the doors and windows.
“We work as a team,” says Rachel Boyd of Lobstercraft. “We’re all a small community and we look out for each other.”
Boyd said many businesses were hit by flooding earlier this year, which is why there’s an increased sense of anxiety as Hurricane Helen approaches the area.
“I feel like people are preparing a lot more,” said Rachel Boyd of Lobster Craft. “A lot of people here have lost their cars. Other businesses have been hit hard this year, so I think we’re taking it a lot more seriously.”
Many stores will remain closed until the storm passes, and the goal for many is to reopen on Friday.
