ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — People who live in St. Pete Beach say the Publix that was damaged by a fire this week was an important resource for people still dealing with the impacts of last year's hurricanes.  

"All of our rooms are suites, and they all have full kitchens, full size refrigerators, coffee maker, toasters, and it's really been a lifeline having those amenities here, with the Publix right across the street," said Robert Czyszczon, general manager of Plaza Beach Resorts. "It's going to be very detrimental to a lot of our patrons that are staying at the hotel."

What You Need To Know

  • The general manager of the Plaza Beach Hotel says about 80% of his guests are staying there with the help of FEMA vouchers

  • He says the Publix in the Dolphin Village plaza was a place they could walk to get groceries — especially helpful since many lost their cars in last year's hurricanes

  • Publix was among the businesses damaged in a fire on Tuesday

  • A spokesperson for Publix says there's no update on a possible reopening 

The Plaza Beach Hotel is across the street from the Dolphin Village plaza, where that fire started in a CVS on Tuesday. Wendy Athens has lived in the hotel since November.

“Learned to get by with a little, which is a good thing,” Athens said.

She told Spectrum News she never expected to be there this long.

“I thought two months tops I would be displaced, and, you know, life goes on while everybody rebuilds,” she said. “Yet, here it is May, and we’re still here.”

Athens is among the Plaza Beach guests whose homes were severely damaged during Hurricane Helene. She said there are amenities that make her particularly grateful for her room there, like her kitchen.

“You can put together some meals here in a hurry, place to put your food,” said Athens.

Up until this week, Athens and other guests didn’t have to go far to get that food. Now, the Publix that was their go-to spot is gone.

“Just broke my heart,” she said. “Having the Publix here — it’s the only grocery store on the island, and there are a lot of people that, you know, number one — are displaced. Number two — if they weren’t displaced, they’re back in their homes. They may not have cars.”

Czyszczon said about 80% of his guests are staying at the hotel thanks to FEMA vouchers, and many of them don’t have cars.

“They were able to walk, prepare a meal, save some money, because — obviously — eating out is very expensive,” he said.

According to PSTA’s director of communications and marketing, Amanda Baird, the SunRunner stop across from Dolphin Village at County Beach Park can get passengers to the South Pasadena Publix in 15 to 20 minutes. She said that South Pasadena stop is also a five-minute walk from a CVS at Gulfport Boulevard South. 

Athens said making the trip to another store could be tough for some seniors who live in the area, as well as a few of her neighbors.

“We’ve got a few people that have been staying here that are displaced that have mobility issues. At least they could take the Freebee and get dropped off over there and get picked up. They can take the SunRunner, go over to South Pasadena, but that’s just another challenge, and everybody’s just been through enough,” Athens said.

Czyszczon said a nearby Walgreens is a spot where people can pick up some grocery staples, and Athens mentioned the Corey Avenue Sunday Market as an option for fresh vegetables.

In response to questions about the future of Publix in St. Pete Beach, Media Relations Manager Lindsey Willis said in a statement, “The safety of our associates, customers and community is our first priority. We continue to cooperate with our local fire and police departments. Additional details are not currently available on store status or reopening. In the meantime, we have been able to place associates at different Publix locations.”

Czyszczon said he hopes to see the process of reopening, whatever that involves, start as soon as possible since it’s something he expects to take some time.