The Bradenton area’s recent trio of hurricanes left many local businesses reeling from the devastation. The longest-standing ice cream parlor on Bradenton Beach, Island Scoops, was among the hardest hit, facing overwhelming damage that washed away equipment, scattered supplies, and filled the shop with over four feet of sand.

For years, Island Scoops has been more than an ice cream parlor. It’s a place where locals and visitors could stop in for a treat and enjoy the relaxed, coastal charm.

It’s also a place where memories were made. “We’ve watched our kids and their friends grow up in our shop,” says Julie Kirkwood, owner of Island Scoops. “It’s been a part of the community for so long, and to see it destroyed was just heartbreaking.”

From Expansion to Destruction 

Over the summer, Julie and her family had been busy with a big remodel, taking out a large construction loan to combine Island Scops with their donut shop, Island Donut Company, under one roof. It was officially finished on September 2nd.

While Tropical Storm Debbie brought minor flooding damage, it was quickly repaired. New hardwood floors were need, but operations continued with minimal interruption.

As Hurricane Helene made her way toward the island, Julie knew they needed to take greater precautions. “We felt we had learned our lesson from Tropical Storm Debbie, so we sandbagged and prepared the storm for what we thought would be a similar experience,” she says.

“We went out the night of Helene to check on the shop and found ourselves in waist-deep water. As we watched the waves crash over Gulf Drive hitting the doorknobs of the shop, we realized that this was not going to be anything like Debbie.”

The next morning, with the roads and bridges closed, they jet skied out to the shop and were shattered to see that it had been destroyed.

The front and back doors and lower windows had been washed out. There were over 4 feet of sand in the store and on the property, and equipment and supplies had washed away. They even made ABC news when their two-door, 400-pound drink cooler was found on Egmont Key!

And as bad as that was, the storms weren’t over. Less than two weeks later, Hurricane Milton came sweeping in, causing even more wind damage.

Now, Julie and her family are faced with the monumental task of cleaning up, disposing of equipment, and removing sand before they can even think of starting the process of rebuilding.

Island Scoops is Down – But Not Out

Thanks to the support of Uncle Nick’s N.Y. Style Bagels, Subs & Deli, Island Donut Company & Island Scoops is now temporarily located at 5917 Manatee Ave W., in the storefront that previously held Vampire Penguin.

This new location gives them the opportunity to continue serving the community they love while they work toward rebuilding.

You can help support them by coming out to enjoy some tasty treats. They’ll have donuts at Uncle Nick’s from 7 am to 1:30 pm daily and are open for ice cream from 4 pm to 9 pm (Closed Sundays). 

Their daughter, Sky, has also recently opened Clementines in downtown Bradenton (536 13th St W, Bradenton, FL 34205), featuring parts of the Island Donut Co menu including acai bowls, smoothies, and sandwiches. You can visit them daily 8 am to 4 pm (closed Sundays).

It’s clear this incredible family business is positioned for a comeback, but they need your support! So, satisfy your sweet tooth, and do your part to help keep Bradenton (and AMI) strong. ♥

** Want to help more? Take a look at Island Scoops’ GoFundMe Page. **