ByLouise Bolger
sun staff writer

If you like your collectibles sprinkled with a little salt and your home’s décor sea shore eclectic, The Sea Hagg on Cortez Road in the historic Cortez fishing village, needs to be added to your must-do list.

For nine years Jan Holman, the owner of The Sea Hagg, has been scouring every seaside nook and cranny in Florida looking for just the right unique nautical inventory for her successful shop. In fact, The Sea Hagg has expanded so much in nine years, that it’s more like a complex of shops along Cortez Road, rather than just one.

The original Sea Hagg with its Salvage Garden and huge front yard is like entering a marine graveyard. Anchors, brass portholes, fish sculptures, ships’ instruments and an actual ship are all on display just over the wooden bridge and water fountains guarded by a giant channel marker. Inside you’ll find lots more including jewelry, some vintage; original artwork by talented local artisans; and mermaids, mermaids, mermaids. The Salvage Garden has, oars, lanterns, old windows, mirrors and all kinds of incredible riches just waiting to be rescued.

Across the street is the Cortez Trading Company, recently redecorated to make room for an expanded collection of shells, items made from shells or with shell motifs and some painted furniture. You can also find small pieces of antique furniture, driftwood in the outdoor yard and more artwork and prints. The entire complex is a lesson in organized clutter featuring old, new and in between nautical, sea-related treasures and art pieces, perfectly befitting the nature of sea haggs.

Holman has collected so much inventory that she recently opened another Sea Hagg in Lakeland, offering the same great Sea Hagg merchandise with a drop less salt. The new shop is in the Lakeside Villages Shopping Center at 1470 Towncenter Drive, phone (863) 686-1239, open 7 days from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Sea Hagg operates smoothly with Jan Holman at the helm and three employees. Pat Musser, Barbara Hoehn and Dolly Gianni. Soon they will be getting ready for a big Sea Hagg sale during the Cortez Fishing Festival weekend in February.

Jan Holman’s love of the sea is what brought her to Cortez, and her love of all things "salty" turned her into "the head hagg" at The Sea Hagg. "One Tank Trips" has dubbed The Sea Hagg the " best store to finally go into that you’ve driven by a million times." I can guarantee once you stop you’ll never drive by again.

The Sea Hagg
12304 Cortez Rd W.
Cortez, FL 34215
(941) 795-5756
www.seahagg.com
9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday
11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday (during season)