Hurricane Alley is now closed and plans to reopen around Thanksgiving, directly across Ocean Avenue into the building with the orange facade. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
By Jan Norris
Within a week of the emotional announcement detailing the pending closure of Hurricane Alley Raw Bar and Restaurant, owner Kim Kelly said she’d found a new permanent home — just across the street.
Kelly shared the “much happier” news online that the laid-back Boynton Beach seafood restaurant at 529 E. Ocean Ave. had made a deal with owners of Paloma Mexican Restaurant to take over their space. Paloma is closed permanently, with the owners returning to legal careers, Kelly said.
The saga started Aug. 25 on her Facebook page, where Kelly stated that the landlord had set a Sept. 30 deadline for her to vacate the space to make way for The Pierce.
That $105 million mixed-use project, more than five years in the making, had at last been cleared for construction. The first step would be demolition of the Hurricane Alley building.
Kelly would then have to wait months for Affiliated Development, builder of The Pierce, to create a new space for Hurricane Alley north of her current location.
The news caught her by surprise, she said. “I was very emotional. I was sobbing.”
But only a few days later, Kelly wrote on her Facebook page that Hurricane Alley had found its “new forever home,” and would move into the Paloma Mexican Restaurant.
“It all came together within five days. I got a tip from a good source,” she said.
After meeting with the real estate agent, she signed a contract that’s a five-year lease with options of up to a 15-year lease for the space at 510 E. Ocean Ave. — on the south side of the street.
The plan, she said, is to make minor renovations and move in, with a grand reopening sometime around Thanksgiving.
Kelly will take the memorabilia from the old place across the street, she said, hoping to re-create the laid-back vibe.
“Everything we had on our walls — we’re going to take it all with us.”
A lot of the ocean- and fish-themed items hanging on the walls and from the ceiling were gifts from patrons, she said.
“A couple had a stuffed fish in their garage, and brought it to us. We want to keep things like that. Anything that anyone gave us, we want to keep.”
But, she said, “It’s not going to be easy. We’ll have to dismantle the bars, and I’ll have to put things in storage. Not everything will fit.”
She is looking into a relocation grant from the city. The money would pay for an architect to draw up blueprints for changes.
“There won’t be an outside bar, though another bar will be added. There’s not a lot to redo. We’re working on the flow plan we have here.”
The menu items will remain the same, she said, maybe with a few new offerings: “Don’t change something that ain’t broke.”
Prices may go up slightly — that’s a sign of the times, Kelly said. Food and beverage costs have climbed even within the last month.
“They’re insane,” she said. “But we’re trying to keep the beer and liquor down.”
Labor is the other major cost, and it’s a competitive market. “You can’t pay somebody $15 an hour. You’ve got to pay what they’re worth.
“Many of them have been with us 10 years. Some, 20 years. For some of them, it’s the only job they’ve known,” Kelly said.
Most of the staff have indicated they’ll come back to work for her, she said. She has placed a few in other restaurants such as Tim Finnegans Irish Pub in Delray Beach.
“Others will take time off. We have 40 employees. I’m trying to do as much as I can for the employees.”
She credits the outpouring of support, including from the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency, for encouraging her to stay on the avenue and keep her loyal customers.
Kelly said she’s determined to survive.
She had special T-shirts printed to sell that reflect her resilience: “Ride Out the Storm With Us!” All money from the shirt sales will go to her staff.
She said she’s grateful to have found the space, and has no plans to relocate elsewhere.
“This is my forever home. I don’t plan on going anywhere.”
Green Markets return, some setting up in new spots
Delray Beach’s GreenMarket will celebrate its 31st year, with new market manager Nathan Little.
The market is set up in the commons area at Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, beginning Oct. 24 through May 22. It will be closed Dec. 12 for the holiday parade, March 13 for the St. Patrick’s Day Festival, and April 10 for the Delray Affair.
The market features 70 vendors — farmers and growers, bakers, food artisans who sell prepared foods, and chefs offering cooking demonstrations.
Find fruits and vegetables, fresh local honey, dairy and seafood products, breads and pastries, dips and bottled sauces, plants and fresh flowers.
SNAP payments are accepted here, and Fresh Access Bucks offers $40 for produce or fresh food purchases. Free parking in the parking garage.
The Good Day Market in Boynton Beach has moved downtown.
Formerly in the Boynton Beach Mall, the market of handmade items and foods has moved to 129 E. Ocean Ave. in the lot next to the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum.
More than 50 vendors sell farm-to-table foods, local honey, pet treats, baked goods, soaps, candles, clothing and handmade jewelry. There’s an emphasis on handmade goods with some foods here.
The market is on select Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free parking is in adjacent lots. Follow the Good Day Market Boynton Beach Facebook page for upcoming dates and announcements, or visit thegooddaymarket.com.
The Boca Green Market also has a new home. It has moved north from Royal Palm Place and opened Sept. 27 at the 5th Avenue Shops, 1954 NE Fifth Ave., Boca Raton.
More than 65 vendors offer fresh produce, handmade goods such as jewelry and candles, artisan prepared foods and gourmet items from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays.
Flowers, live music, craft drinks and specialty foods also are available. Free parking. This market is dog friendly.
Lake Worth Beach Farmers Market starts Nov. 7, and vendors fill Old Bridge Park at the northeast corner of the bridge at State Road A1A and Lake Avenue every Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Locally grown fruits and vegetables, seafood, plants including orchids, artisan baked goods, juices and gourmet foods among others line the waterway.
Dog friendly, the market takes place rain or shine. Free parking.
Follow these markets on their social media pages for vendor information and announcements.
Jan Norris is a food writer who can be reached at nativefla@gmail.com.
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