Jill and Scott Hemmes are back in business. On Oct. 24, they’ll host a soft opening for The Waverly Restaurant & Bar, 2095 N. Beach Road on Manasota Key in Charlotte County, after hurricanes Helene and Milton caused extensive damage to the structure.
“We’ll have a full menu on Thursday — sushi and everything,” Jill Hemmes said.
Prior to the restaurant’s opening at 4 p.m., the Englewood Chamber of Commerce will preside over a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Then at 6 p.m. Oct. 25., Hemmes is hosting a fundraising event with proceeds to be donated to the Hurricane Financial Relief Fund started by the chamber.
Fundraiser attendees will pay $10 at the door and can participate in a 50-50 raffle. Guests, encouraged to bring a cash donation for the relief fund, can order from The Waverly’s full menu, Hemmes said.
After Oct. 25, The Waverly will return to its normal hours, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The Waverly has two restaurants. The upstairs offers more formal, fine dining, while the bottom floor is a casual tiki-type restaurant with a Key West vibe.
Having hosted numerous events over the years, including weddings, Hemmes has accommodated as many as 600 on the premises and hopes a large crowd will show up for the fundraiser.
She and her husband’s businesses overcame many obstacles over the last seven years. They have owned The Waverly since 2017 and other businesses at 1350 Beach Road in Englewood, where they ran Beach Road Boutique (2007), Beach Road Wine Bar and Bistro (2012) and Beach Road Watersports (2003). All but the water sports business still operates at that location.
After Hurricane Ian in September 2022 delivered a fatal blow to their properties, the Hemmeses moved the Bistro’s mobile kitchen over to The Waverly and rebuilt and reopened 16 months later, only to close again after being slammed by subsequent storms, including Helene and most recently, Milton, which flooded and crushed just about everything on the Key.
Hemmes said she is awaiting demolition of the Beach Road property where their Bistro and Boutique once stood, and then they’ll decide what they will do next with the site.
The storms aren’t the only things that disrupted the family’s businesses. She said the COVID-19 pandemic and red tide kept visitors from the area.
“I’ve lived here since 1986, and this is the new norm. It’s really crazy,” she said.
Hemmes said The Waverly is the first restaurant on Manasota Key to reopen and that the White Elephant Pub, 1855 Gulf Blvd., is hosting its own fundraiser at 1 p.m. Oct. 26.
A spokesperson for the White Elephant Pub was unavailable for an interview, but its Facebook page provides details. A raffle, auction, food truck and live music will be part of the event with proceeds benefitting the pub and its 30 staff members.
Hemmes said she was fortunate to retain all 60 of her staff, who suddenly found themselves performing other types of work in order to get the restaurant up and running.
Many workers are now without employment, and that’s the reason why the Englewood Chamber of Commerce created the Hurricane Financial Relief Fund, chamber Executive Director Doug Izzo said. Although the Fund was set up for business and restaurant workers, anyone in need of financial help due to the hurricanes can apply, he said.
For an application, click here. Once completed, the application should be sent to Doug.Izzo@EnglewoodChamber.com or dropped off at the Englewood Chamber, 601 S. Indiana Ave.
