High winds gusting across FMB – one business gets the brunt of it

Reporter: Haley Zarcone
Published: Updated:
fort myers beach
CREDIT: WINK News

Winds from Wednesday night led to island damage on Thursday. Still recovering from Ian, The Whale’s tent fell victim to these harsh gusts.

Restaurant owner Dawn Miller, says when they closed last night, they got out right before the storm blew through. “Our building was gone after Ian, but the tent has survived now for almost a year. I think we’re about two weeks shy of a year that we’ve had the tent up here. And this morning, when we got up, it was shredded.”

Bringing together what they had left today, they stacked patio furniture, picked debris out from their plot of land and worked while the restaurant was closed. Repairs to be done Friday will help decide how soon they are able to reopen.

Miller says, “Tomorrow, we have the tech company coming back out. And they’re going to try and, you know, put it back together. So, hopefully, we’ll be able to salvage what we have left here.”

New beginnings are right around the corner

While the high winds may have taken their tent roof from The Whale temporarily, they are going to put shovel to sand soon on a more permanent eatery.

“We’re within a month of breaking ground on our new building. So, which I’m very excited about. And then of course, we’re gonna continue with the tent, but we’re moving a half a mile south to a different location. But yeah, it’s been a long road getting here. I’m very well aware that it’s the 18 month anniversary of the word (Hurricane Ian) that nobody likes to use. But it’s been a long road but we tried to stay positive and just do our best’ says Miller.

The restaurant hopes to break ground the first Friday in May pending things continue to move along as they should with final steps in the process. Wink News will be there for their official ground breaking to celebrate another comeback with the Fort Myers Beach community.

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