NORTH REDINGTON BEACH, Fla. - The Frog Pond Café, a 43-year-old staple on North Redington Beach , is reopening its doors after sustaining catastrophic flooding during Hurricane Helene last year.

Five feet of storm surge broke through the restaurant’s windows, destroying equipment and filling the building with sand and debris.

Now, longtime employee Luciano LaRocca has taken over ownership. LaRocca, who began washing dishes at the café’s St. Pete Beach location when he was 19, says he was determined to keep the restaurant alive after the original owners retired following the storm.

The backstory:

The Frog Pond has been part of the community for more than 40 years, known for its eclectic collection of frog figurines and keepsakes donated by patrons. Walls and shelves are filled wit

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