Credits: Houston Chronicles
Gaido’s Seafood Restaurant, a beloved Galveston eatery since 1911, remains closed as the island recovers from Hurricane Beryl. The restaurant’s marquee on Seawall Boulevard, usually displaying specials and promotions, now bears a hopeful message: “We will return. So also this island.”
Nick Gaido, the great-grandson of the restaurant’s founder, is eager to reopen. However, Gaido’s, like about 28,000 other homes and businesses in Galveston County, still lacks power five days after the storm. “All we can do is try to find the silver lining each day, work on some extra details and cleaning we don’t get to do on a daily basis and try to get hours to our team that need to put food on the table,” Gaido said. “But yeah, we’re eager, we’re ready to be open and as soon as we get power, we’re going to be rocking and rolling.”
The storm’s aftermath has affected businesses and residents unevenly. While some establishments, like Conex Coffee Company, managed to serve customers all week, others, like Yaga’s Cafe, only regained power on Thursday and hustled to reopen for dinner on Friday.
The City of Galveston has implemented various measures to support residents, including opening cooling centers, providing portable shower units, and suspending restrictions on large trash pickups. Efforts have focused particularly on the island’s West End, which was severely impacted by the storm.
Residents have also experienced the storm’s impact differently. Dylan Langreder in Midtown used his home as a charging station for friends and family, while just a few blocks away, Joseph Jones and Tracy Pleasant have been without power and staying with their son in Texas City. “It’s taking a little bit longer for the power to come back on. Right about now, it is getting frustrating,” Pleasant said.
For business owners, the economic impact of the storm during peak tourist season is significant. Mike Dean, owner of Yaga’s Cafe on the Strand, estimates a loss of about $100,000 in business since Monday. Despite this, Dean remains optimistic, recalling the resilience shown after Hurricane Rita in 2005. “I believe in the people that are around me and the people that work for me. We’re going to figure it out,” Dean said. “If the tourists don’t come, we’ll just have to tighten our budgets and change our expectations, because storm season’s not over. We’ll be cautious, be careful, promote our events and knuckle our way through.”
As Galveston continues to recover, the community’s spirit and determination shine through, promising a return to normalcy and the resilience to face future challenges.