Nicko’s Pizza and Subs in St. Petersburg, Florida. Credit: Photo via nickospizzaandsubs/Facebook

When Hurricane Helene barreled through Tampa Bay in September 2024, St. Petersburg’s Old Southeast neighborhood found itself submerged under record-breaking storm surges.

Among the many businesses devastated by the flooding was Nicko’s Pizza and Subs, a local favorite at 1239 4th St. S. The family-owned restaurant suffered catastrophic losses, with nearly two feet of water destroying 80% of its equipment, from coolers and freezers to ovens and kegerators. Everything below four feet had to be gutted.

But six months later, thanks to an outpouring of community support, Nicko’s is back.
Owners Nick and Erin Faraone officially reopened the doors last month, determined to serve the neighborhood that refused to let them go under.

With most of their kitchen equipment rendered useless, the Faraones launched “Operation Restoration,” selling a limited menu from the restaurant’s parking lot to keep up with rent.

Local businesses rallied to help: The owners of Mullet’s Fish Camp & Market lent Nicko’s vital kitchen equipment, hosted a benefit event featuring beer from Golden Isles, and attracted strong community turnout. Southside Coffee, Tchotchkes, Nueva Cantina, and McMullen’s also played key roles in supporting the restaurant’s comeback. Brett Andress, owner of Ale & The Witch, offered Nicko’s a pop-up space during live music nights, allowing them to sell food when they had no kitchen of their own.

Even employees from the Marina District helped move dining equipment into storage that was donated by Second Shift Printing.

Beyond business support, customers stepped up, too. Many bought gift cards for future meals to help cover bills, while others showed up consistently for the parking lot sales. In December, Nicko’s launched a GoFundMe that raised over $8,000.

Now, with new equipment, a rebuilt kitchen, and a fresh start, Nicko’s is ready to serve its pizza and subs again. The restaurant is now open Wednesday-Sunday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (closed Monday and Tuesday).

Special deals include Wine Wednesdays—half off bottles and $2 off glasses—and daily specials from 11 a.m-4 p.m., like two slices of cheese pizza and a soda for $7.50 or two slices of pepperoni for $8.50.

For the Faraones, reopening isn’t just about getting back to business—it’s about giving back to the people who saved them. “We are beyond grateful to everyone who stepped up for us,” Erin said. “Nicko’s wouldn’t be here without this community.

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This article appears in Apr 3-9, 2025.