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Always a rainbow after the storm: How Mikel May's recovered after Hurricane Hanna

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  • Mikel May's was a beachfront restaurant and bar that sat atop Bob Hall Pier for years.
  • Mikel May's was completely destroyed by Hurricane Hanna in 2020
  • Merida Mendoza was the owner of Mikel May's and she finally opened a new restaurant on the island four years later.
  • She advises other business owners to take the proper precautions before its too late and a hurricane strikes.

Many Padre Island businesses have weathered storms and hurricanes that have blown through the Coastal Bend over the years. But those who were forced to close their doors have never forgotten the feeling of losing their business.

Merida May Mendoza is the former owner of Mikel May's restaurant and bar on Bob Hall Pier on North Padre Island. Hurricane Hanna struck on July 25, 2020 and closed Mikel May's doors forever.

“It’s just been heartbreaking. But, even when you are prepared, you’re never really prepared for a loss, a total loss. It changes your entire life and the lives of your employees," Mendoza said.

Mikel May's was a popular spot for Padre Island tourists and a staple for locals. Hurricane Hanna's powerful storm surge destroyed the restaurant and parts of Bob Hall Pier.

While it took Mendoza years to emotionally recover from this total loss, she was prepared for the destruction from a business owner's standpoint.

“Just making sure, the importance of having everything covered, knowing the values of everything, having serial numbers on everything," Mendoza said.

As a business owner in South Texas, she can not stress enough how important having the proper storm insurance coverage in place for your business is.

"Just making sure that I have the correct coverages and doing whatever I can to make sure that the property is as weatherproof as possible. But, pretty much, if you're going to get a really bad storm, there's really nothing you can do," Mendoza said.

Mendoza originally rented the building on Bob Hall Pier from Nueces County to house Mikel May's.

"The county is the one who owned the building. They chose not to have the building insured. So, that's why it wasn't insured. But, I had all of my personal property that was inside, insured. So, that's why I was covered," Mendoza said.

After four years of grief and determination, Mendoza opened a new restaurant on the island called Merida's Tapas and Cantina in February 2024.

“It took me two and a half years to get this, and once I did, I was really excited. I opened a tapas and seafood restaurant," Mendoza said.

Her new restaurant is not a beachfront property like Mikel May's was. However, it is located on the canals of Padre Island.

"I am absolutely still concerned about hurricane damage. That's always the case," Mendoza said. "So, you just have to make sure that you have your coverages in place. I have all of my limits maxed out for not only the building, but for all of my personal property that I have. As well as loss of income and replacement costs and increased cost construction. It's really important to meet with your insurance agent,"

One of the most important things that Mendoza notes about recovering from a hurricane as a business owner is the loss of income for all of her employees.

“Helping your employees, you don’t think about that. You’re kind of caught up in everything else and then you realize, you got 70 employees depending on you for income that is no longer there. And so, just helping them as much as you can," Mendoza said.

2024's hurricane season is around the corner, so Mendoza wants to share her story with other business owners in the Coastal Bend, so that they can be prepared if they experience the same kind of tragedy that she did.

“Especially if there’s a major storm, there’s so many claims going on and it’s kind of a first come first serve. So, once they get out there, you’ve pretty much thrown things away, so it’s very important to take pictures of all of your damages before you throw it away, so they can see, in fact, that you had it," Mendoza said.

Business owners in the Coastal Bend should be ready for a hurricane to strike at any time.

"It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when," Mendoza said.

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