Cedar Key tiki bar wrecked by Idalia's storm surge will reopen, owner says
Tiki Bar owner Scott Larsen said he watched the video as the water began rushing in up to the bar top. In addition to seeing his business nearly submerged by flooding, Scott Larsen's home was also damged by Idalia's record storm surge.
Cedar Key Tiki Bar owner says they will reopen after Idalia's record storm surge
Nearly 7-feet of storm surge destroyed homes and businesses in Cedar Key. Hideaway Tiki Bar owner Scott Larsen told FOX Weather Correspondent Nicole Valdes that he watched the storm surge come into his business on a live video.
CEDAR KEY, Fla. – A Florida Big Bend business owner plans to reopen after watching his bar become flooded by nearly 7 feet of storm surge from Hurricane Idalia’s landfall along the Gulf Coast.
When Idalia made landfall at nearby Keaton Beach, Cedar Key saw a record storm surge of 6.89 feet. The previous record was 6.1 feet from Hurricane Hermine in 2016.
Storm Tracker Mark Sudduth set up a remote camera in the Low Key Hideaway Tiki Bar in Cedar Key. The bar is on a small island protected from the waves by the main barrier island of Cedar Key.
Tiki Bar owner Scott Larsen said he watched the video as the water rushed into the bar.
DRONE VIDEO REVEALS DAMAGE, FLOODING FROM HURRICANE IDALIA LANDFALL NEAR KEATON BEACH
"All of a sudden ,it just started coming up the glass wall. I could see it splashing back there," Larsen said. "It was heartbreaking. I was glad I could see it … As crazy as it sounds, it was good to watch because we like to know what's happening at least. We knew what we were getting ourselves into when we came back."
Watch: Storm surge fills Cedar Key, Florida bar
FOX Weather's Exclusive Storm Tracker set up a remote camera inside a Cedar Key bar. This was the scene at the height of the storm surge.
Despite being on stilts, the storm surge swamped the restaurant and bar, reaching table tops. Still, Larsen said the business is not a total loss and will reopen.
In addition to seeing his business nearly submerged by flooding, Larsen's home, which he has lived in for about a year, was also damaged by the record storm surge.
Cedar Key resident suffers Hurricane Idalia damages to home and business
FOX Weather Correspondent Nicole Valdes reporting from Cedar Key, Florida where a local business owner experienced significant damages from Hurricane Idalia to his home as well as the Low-key Hideaway Tiki Bar he owns.
The Low Key Hideaway Tiki Bar is a community staple, and it showed after Idalia was gone. More than 100 people came out to help Larsen begin cleaning debris.
Larsen started a GoFundMe fundraiser to help fund recovery for his own business, as well as other island businesses. Larsen said the goal is $100,000 and half of the funds will go toward the city of Cedar Key to help rebuild the island town.
Even as Larsen experienced flooding damages at home and suffered major damage to his business, he is still helping his employees and neighbors also recovering from Idalia.
On Monday, as Larsen was clearing debris from his business, he took time to help a neighbor pull a car out of a canal.