HOLMES BEACH – West Coast Surf Shop, 3902 Gulf Drive, just south of Manatee Beach, is back in business following a fire on April 15 of last year.
Owners Jim and Ronee Brady had a soft opening Monday morning and plan on a celebration after season when it isn’t so busy, according to Jim Brady.
Meanwhile, it looks and smells new and the store’s footprint hasn’t changed. They still feature items relevant to having fun on the beach and in the water.
“We have most of the lines we carried before plus we added some new ones,” Jim Brady said.
After the fire that damaged the building, but did not destroy it, the Brady family came together, salvaged merchandise and held sales in front of the building to keep income flowing.
Their friends organized a fundraiser for them last July like the many fundraisers that have been held on Anna Maria Island when people are down on their luck, ones that the Bradys contributed to over the years.
Their insurance company covered most of the loss and about two weeks before opening, the Bradys got permission to move in and start stocking shelves.
Surfers and friends are welcome to check out the new store, still the oldest surf shop on Florida’s west coast.