Florida coffee shop stays open through Hurricane Milton, serving comfort to residents

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Published  October 12, 2024 12:15am EDT
FOX 35 Orlando

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FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. - "We love this community, been here a long time, and being able to provide a safe place where there’s not really anything else open in the area is really nice," said Dakota Wehde.

While Flagler County battened down the hatches for Hurricane Milton, one local coffee shop brewed up a storm of its own—serving hot lattes and donuts to those brave enough to weather the wind and rain.

Opening up at 6:30 Wednesday morning, Dakota Wehde, the owner of Swillerbees Craft Donuts and Coffee, says it was a no-brainer to continue business—even during the storm.

"At this point, we know how it feels for the community to wake up in the morning, prepare for a hurricane, and everything’s kind of closed in this area –  waking up in the morning, prepping the house, you don’t have time to cook breakfast. And not only that, there are a lot of first responders in this area, so giving them a place to come, get some breakfast, and sit down for a couple minutes is always nice," said Wehde.

MORE HURRICANE MILTON COVERAGE:

Grateful customers, soaked but smiling, say the only thing stronger than the storm was their need for caffeine—and this coffee shop delivered.

"I got a vanilla latte and a Boston crème," said Todd Wiechmann of First Baptist Palm Coast.

Wiechmann, a pastor at First Baptist in Palm Coast, said he was grateful to stumble upon Swillerbees.

"It’s pretty clutch because we have a weekly meeting, and they were open. We’re glad because we want to keep the fellowship and didn’t want to skip a week," said Wiechmann.

In the face of the storm, local business owners like Dakota Wehde show that they’re serving more than just coffee—they’re serving resilience.

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