The Aftermath of Hurricane Ian

Posted by Deanna Wallin

UPDATE: All stores with the exception of Sanibel have been reopened as of December 5, 2022.


Dear Friends, Supporters and Loyal Customers,

Hurricane Ian came through our area with incredible strength leaving a path of destruction that has rendered some areas unrecognizable. Southwest Florida is our home, and our hearts go out to everyone who was directly affected by the storm.

Thankfully our team members are safe, although some have lost their homes. We are banding together to help them with the resources they need.

Many of you have reached out with well wishes, and I am grateful for your thoughts and prayers. We are just starting our recovery process, and I wanted to send an update.

I have good news and bad. Our old warehouse suffered damages, but thankfully our new warehouse handled the storm beautifully. We are waiting for power to be restored. We have a small but mighty team of friends, family and staff working tirelessly to help.

Our current store status:

  • Tin City in Naples (building will require further assessments)
  • 5th Avenue South in Naples (hoping to reopen in a week - there is power on the avenue)
  • Downtown Fort Myers (will require a complete renovation)
  • Fishermen’s Village in Punta Gorda (remarkably unscathed just waiting for power)
  • The Promenade at Sunset Walk in Kissimmee (extensive roof damage).

We are heartbroken and devastated that our Sanibel Island location is unreachable and will likely be closed indefinitely.

We have three stores in Hurricane Ian's path that did not sustain storm damage, and they have power. On Monday, October 3rd, we will reopen:

  • Coconut Point in Estero
  • Lakewood Ranch in Sarasota
  • Mount Dora

Our store at Harborwalk Village in Destin is open for business.

We will post updates to our social media pages as we begin to reopen stores.

The most helpful thing you can do right now to keep our company moving forward is to place an online order and be patient with us as it may take 2-3 weeks to ship. Your order will help us keep as many staff employed as possible. Now is not the time for pride. It is time for practicality, which is why I am asking you to support us with your orders. 

I am confident our local community will band together to rebuild and support the many families and businesses that were impacted by the storm.

I am grateful that my friends, family and Soap Squad team are safe. Please keep our community in your thoughts as we go through the days, weeks and months ahead.

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