St. Pete Beach Restaurant Closes After Hurricane Damage

ST. PETE BEACH, FL — After 35 years, a St. Pete Beach waterfront restaurant is closed for good and will be put up for sale after facing damages in back-to-back hurricanes Helene and Milton this fall.

Woody’s Waterfront, 7308 Sunset Way, has been closed since Hurricane Helene pummeled the Pinellas County barrier island in September.

The restaurant has raised more than $9,600 in a GoFundMe fundraiser to assist its employees affected by the storm and for costs related to clearing and potentially rebuilding the property.

Woody’s owners announced its permanent closure in a Tuesday morning Facebook post.

“It is with a heavy heart that we have decided to sell Woodys. This has been our family business for the past 35 years,” the owners wrote in the post. “We have spent many hours reviewing options and have decided it is time for someone else to build their vision. We are gratetful for each one of you and glad we were able to be a part of you and your family's memories.”

President Joe Biden met with the owners of Woody’s and other St. Pete Beach businesses in the days following Hurricane Milton in October, the restaurant shared on Facebook at the time of his visit.

Since the storms hit, residents and fans of Woody’s have been reflecting on how the restaurant has impacted their lives and the community.

“Woody’s was a safe haven for me when I first moved to Florida 32 years ago. I was 25, all alone. No friends or relatives. Just a girl who dreamed of living on the beach on the Gulf of Mexico,” one Facebook user wrote. “I always felt like Woodys was my home. Staff was always so nice and would chat and make me feel like a local. A few years later, I met my now husband and we lived across the way on Sunset Beach and would bike down to Woodys on weekends to just kick back (and) drink some beers (and) listen to some music while enjoying that amazing view!”

Another user wrote, “There won’t be anything quite like it. A locals spot with locals pricing with one of the best views in Pinellas county. Sad to see you go.”

“St. Pete Beach will not be the same without Woody’s,” another Facebook user wrote.