Nearly a year after Hurricane Helene devastated Gulfport’s waterfront, two beloved businesses have reopened their doors.

Neptune Grill and Let It Be Ice Cream were among the hardest hit when storm surge and historic flooding left the district in ruins. Today, they are once again welcoming customers.

When the storm swept through Tampa Bay last September, Neptune Grill, a family-run seafood and Greek restaurant, took on more than four feet of water.

For co-owner Dia Vartsakis, who operates the restaurant alongside her father, Gus, the extent of the damage was overwhelming.

“I remember returning to the restaurant after the storm and turning the corner to find everything damaged. We found our food blocks down the street,” Vartsakis said in a conversation with St. Pete Rising.

Churned Ice Cream, the small-batch ice cream company known for serving handcrafted frozen treats out of a retro 1970s Volkswagen van, now has a permanent home in St. Pete.

The local favorite has quietly opened a production facility and grab-and-go storefront at 5504 Haines Road North in a space previously occupied by The Shop & Coffee House.

The 1,200-square-foot location houses Churned’s main production operations and a freezer-stocked retail section where customers can pick up pre-packaged goodies Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“This isn't your traditional ice cream shop where you can order at the counter and dine in,” said managing partner Steve Tishman in a conversation with St. Pete Rising. “But we do plan to add counter service with over 20 flavors later this year.”