Bradenton Beach business owners band together after Hurricane Helene storm surge scooped up shop

The owner of a Bradenton Beach bagel shop is helping a fellow business owner stay afloat after she lost her ice cream store and bakery during Hurricane Helene .

In early September, things were looking up for Island Scoops owner Julie Kirkwood. She had just renovated the shop and was merging it with the Island Dough Company when Hurricane Helene hit.

"It's so heartbreaking, you know, you just start to cry, you just don't know what to do. You're speechless," said Kirkwood.

She recalled jet-skiing out to the shop the day after Hurricane Helene and saw that it had been destroyed.

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Kirkwood added that ice cream cabinets that were bolted to the ground had been scattered around the shop.

One cooler was washed away by Helene, and was eventually found by Anna Maria Charters on the beach of Egmont Key.

Kirkwood estimates she lost about $120,000 worth of equipment and products in the storm.

While she rebuilt, a fellow business owner stepped up to help.

Uncle Nick's Bagels gave Kirkwood a place to sell her items.

"It's the least I can do. It helps them, it helps us, and keeps the community strong, and we go forward from there," said Uncle Nick's owner, Craig Thomsen.

Kirkwood says once she gets the sand out, then it will be time to start rebuilding.

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"It's just part of our family now. We have full intention of getting ourselves back out there," said Kirkwood.

Kirkwood hopes to move back to their Bradenton Beach location by the spring of 2025.

In the meantime, Island Scoops is available online and at its temporary location at Uncle Nick's Bagels on Manatee Avenue in Bradenton.