FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. — On Wednesday, seen peeking through the rubble from Ian on Fort Myers Beach, is a message, a promise to come back stronger than before.
If you ask Yo! Tacos owner Tony Lavalle, it has been a long road to rebuilding.
“It's been about 4 months bro,” said Lavalle.
On Wednesday, Lavalle's first order back since Ian destroyed his original building, sounds familiar, but Lavalle said it does not look the same.
“ We are in a food trailer now, it's a little bit different, we didn't have much storage before now we have less storage,” said Lavalle.
Other business owners like Anita Cereceda, who owns the Pier Peddler and Local Color, both were destroyed during Hurricane Ian.
“So the likelihood of them coming back as we know it is slim to none,” said Cereceda.
On Wednesday I asked the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce's President to help me understand what the beach's future could look like.
I'm told they expect only half of businesses, like the 60 restaurants and more than 40 hotels here before Ian, are likely to return.
Business owners like Cereceda said high property prices are the reason why.
“Fort Myers Beach is going to be traded at very high premiums,” said Cereceda.
Cereceda said higher property prices could impact which businesses can even consider returning.
“That may very well determine whether a yo taco is rebuilt, it may determine whether or not a local color and a Pier Peddler are rebuilt,” said Cereceda.
On Wednesday the rebuilding question now moves forward on Fort Myers Beach, on the day Yo! Taco reopened.
"It's just good to see anybody back," said Lavalle.
Others like Cereceda said they are looking to the future to define what re-opening means.
“Maybe local color comes back in some other form...I think we just need to open our minds a little bit to what potential we have for the future,” said Cereceda.
