Willy’s Burgers & Booze announces comeback on St. Pete Beach after two-year hurricane closure
/Willy’s Burgers and Booze has announced it’ll rebuild and reopen following the hurricanes of 2024 that destroyed the restaurant and bar | Willy’s
Two years after Hurricane Helene devastated Willy’s Burgers & Booze, the St. Pete Beach watering hole is preparing for a comeback.
The open-air bar and restaurant at 645 Corey Avenue announced recently that construction is beginning following a lengthy permitting process.
A reopening date has not been announced.
“The road back has been anything but easy,” the business shared on Facebook. “We have spent the past 14 months working through the permitting process, navigating delays and obstacles, and doing everything we can to make this day possible.”
“There have been times when the process felt overwhelming, but we have never lost sight of what Willy’s means to so many people,” the post continued.
Known for its burgers, affordable drinks, and laid-back, beachy atmosphere, Willy’s has been closed since the hurricanes of late 2024.
Hurricane Helene’s storm surge devastated the restaurant before Hurricane Milton arrived less than two weeks later.
Damage caused by Hurricane Helene in 2024 at Willy’s Burgers and Booze | Willys
In a fundraiser launched between the storms, owner Stephen Molloy described a staff suddenly out of work, with some employees also losing their homes and belongings.
The fundraiser raised more than $20,000, with all donations designated to go directly to employees.
Molloy, who purchased Willy’s in 2019, wrote at the time that taking over the business came with an understanding that its character was worth preserving.
“The community decided that I was not the owner of Willy’s but a curator, a keeper of history,” Molloy wrote. “I was not to change a thing!”
That commitment will carry into the rebuild, with plans to retain the restaurant’s familiar atmosphere, color scheme, and food and drink offerings.
Among its best-known menu items was the Big Gooey, a 10-ounce cheeseburger topped with lettuce, tomato, and onion. The menu also featured other burgers, salads, sandwiches, hot dogs, fried and steamed seafood, and daily specials such as spaghetti and meatballs and country-fried chicken.
Late-night hours and inexpensive happy-hour drinks helped make Willy’s a gathering place for beach residents and visitors alike.
A burger and tater tots from Willy’s Burgers and Booze | Willy’s
Local entrepreneur Mike Anderson opened the business in the early 2000s in a former hot dog stand. Anderson, who died in 2021, owned a collection of Pinellas County bars and restaurants, including Jwags, The Wharf, The Reef, Dead Bob’s, and The Joint.
In its reopening announcement, Willy’s credited property owners Charles and Helen Collom with helping make the restaurant’s return possible.
“They never gave up on the idea of bringing Willy’s back, even when the road ahead was difficult and many others might have walked away,” the business wrote.
Charles died during the two-year closure. Helen has continued the effort, carrying forward his wishes to rebuild the restaurant.
The announcement also thanked customers who have shared memories, sent messages, and asked when Willy’s would return throughout the closure.
“We know there is still work ahead before we can welcome everyone back through our doors, but seeing construction begin is a huge milestone and a moment we have been waiting a long time for,” the business wrote.
Follow Willy’s Burgers & Booze on Facebook for construction updates and a reopening timeline.
