PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A popular Pinellas County restaurant is celebrating being in business for more than four decades. The timeframe also marks one year since The Frog Pond re-opened after being hit by Hurricane Helene. The owner of the North Redington Beach restaurant attributes a community coming together.
Frog Pond has been celebrating welcoming guests here for 44 years.
“We were here yesterday and today,” said Tiffany Allen, who was visiting with her family from Ohio.
That community and customer support is what makes owner Luciano Larocca most proud.
“I’m most excited about the reason why we make it 44 years,” said Larocca. “It’s because all the people that come and support all the locals, we’re so blessed to have that support from them.”
Diners make up locals who have become regulars, to longtime visitors who make stopping here a regular part of their vacation.
“We look forward to it every year,” said Amy Baker, who has been bringing her family here for 11 years. “They’ve always just made us feel like family here. I come here at least three times a week”
Coming back now makes this anniversary extra emotional, said Larocca.
“It was a lot to take in at first, I think when we first were walking up and we saw the windows blasted in,” he said.
The decades-long anniversary also marks one year since the restaurant re-opened after being hit by Hurricane Helene.
“It was very hectic,” said Larocca. “There (were) a lot of ups and downs but once again, it was fueled by the locals, my closest friends put their blood, sweat and tears in it, he said. “The locals are the reason why it got funded.”
That support continues.
“It’s incredible to see the cars on the parking lot, the people out, the smiles on their faces,” said Baker, comparing the before and after. “It was really bad, I mean when I came over the bridge for the very first time it was just sand.”
Now re-opened with the familiar frog feeling but with some re-imagination, the menu includes more homemade items.
“Trying to change the vibe to everything in-house and scratch, so that’s kind of where we started with these,” said General Manager Jacquelyn Tully, who is excited to spread the word about the Sunday cinnamon roll special.
The managers say it all marks a fresh future with support from the past.
“To know that we are able to support such a family atmosphere and stuff, it’s really special,” said Allen.
“It’s great to support the local businesses that were impacted,” said Baker. “They’re taking care of us, and we’re taking care of them, and I love that.”
Larocca says he feels that love.
“It’s a blessing. It’s such a blessing to see everybody back. It’s like, you would think it never happened. It feels normal, and it feels like we’re exactly where we’re supposed to be,” he said.