After brutal hurricane season, Florida's small businesses hope for a robust holiday shopping season
Hurricane Milton packed a wallop throughout Florida when it made landfall on Oct. 9, but six counties in particular — Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto, and Hardee — were the most badly damaged. Those counties are home to nearly half a million small businesses, employing nearly 1 million people and generating about $130 billion in revenues, according to a report from McKinsey & Co. For small retail businesses, it’s been a particularly challenging year. More from the Florida Phoenix.
Have Florida gas prices changed since Thanksgiving travel? What to expect at the pump
Welcome back from your Thanksgiving road trip. Now, you’re ready to hit the road for your work commute. So, what does the gas situation look like in Florida? Several North Florida areas are averaging less than $2.80 a gallon as the region remains the cheapest to get gas in the state, in some places about 25 to 30 cents cents less per gallon than South Florida. More from the Miami Herald.
Shrewd construction helps Fort Myers Beach resort survive stormy year
The main objective at Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach? Immersing guests in the easy-breezy, laid-back vacation vibe for which the Jimmy Buffett–founded brand is known. The resort does, after all, have a bar called 5 O’Clock Somewhere. But for the resort itself, which celebrates its one-year anniversary in December, getting to this point has been anything but a breeze. More from the Business Observer.
Winter Park’s pending land buy leaves uncertain future for popular businesses
The city of Winter Park is preparing to buy land next to a key intersection to improve traffic and expand a popular park, but owners of two well-known local businesses are concerned they’ll be told to relocate — a costly endeavor. The City Commission voted unanimously Nov. 13 to buy the 1-acre parcel on Fairbanks Avenue and Denning Drive for $4 million, pending a 75-day period for inspections before the sale is finalized. More from the Orlando Sentinel.
Report: Indian River Lagoon health improves in 2024
This year was better than recent ones for the lagoon's health. Overall, the lagoon was on the mend in 2024 compared to years past, despite two hurricanes, sewage spills, and young manatees dying from malnutrition caused by sparse seagrass, according to a regional environmental group. More from Florida Today.
Entertainment
The ‘golden age’ of comedy reaches Southwest Florida
The business of comedy in Southwest Florida is nothing to laugh about. It’s an industry that draws thousands of people to large comedy clubs and pop-up one-nighters in restaurants, bars and even an American Legion Post, to eat, drink and laugh. “It’s a lot of hard work and lots of money, it doesn’t come cheap. There’s no secret sauce,” says Brien Spina, who opened Off The Hook Comedy Club 20 years ago.
» More from Gulfshore Business.
Profile
Designer behind Miami Beach’s Art Deco renaissance is having her own revival at age 87
Barbara Hulanicki’s South Beach designs have all disappeared. Shifting fashions and taste and hoteliers’ need to periodically refresh and redesign mean that, to her knowledge, none of her hotel or club designs exist today. But a renewed interest in the fashion and design legend has emerged.
» Read more from the Miami Herald.