NAPLES, Fla. — Since Hurricane Ian, many storm-flooded businesses that call Tin City shopping center in Naples home said they reopened back in December, despite hosting a grand reopening 8 months after the storm.
Inside Tin City, Michele Galuppo, the Store Manager for the Naples Soap Company said at least three feet of flood water made it inside.
Galuppo said the grand reopening helped remind the community that Tin City is open for business.
"We get phone calls at the time and even when I answer the phone they are like you're open? They are like we can't believe you did this and I'm like ya we are," said Galuppo.
On Monday, Galuppo said most Tin City stores were able to reopen three months after Ian, in December, but that wasn't the case for several of their neighboring businesses.
Debra Underwood, who owns Deb's Touch of Florida said that is why Tin City waited until this past weekend to hold a grand reopening and celebration of Tin City’s 100-year anniversary.
“We had thousands of people this weekend and the majority of them were locals,” said Underwood.
People who Underwood said call the City of Naples home and she hoped would spread the word that Tin City is open for business.
“Tin City is loved, beloved it belongs to the history of Naples,” said Underwood.
