Four years later, an even bigger challenge came in the form of floodwaters. Hurricane Helene destroyed the store, forcing the couple to close it for 256 days.
Now, they’re ready to greet customers again.
The shop at 7370 Gulf Blvd. reopened in St. Pete Beach last month, eight-and-a-half months after Hurricane Helene flooded the shop with 36 inches of water.
After more than 200 grueling days of waiting for insurance and permits while ripping out soaked wood, the Gottschlings and a team of friends brought the beloved coffee shop and surf apparel store back to life.
“Lindsay insisted that we get flood insurance, and I gave in to her. And one of the better, I mean, probably the best business decisions,” Peter told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.
The couple still operates its sister location, Grove Surf Cafe, which has been running for about a year in Indian Rocks Beach.
For more on the reopening as well as seasonal updates, follow @grovesurfandcoffee on Instagram.
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This article appears in Jul 3-9, 2025.