MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Anna Maria Island businesses are feeling the pinch this holiday season.
One local shop owner is hoping some Christmas spirit will help turn things around.
Making fudge is like a science — but for Benjamin Kaminecki, it’s an art form he has been mastering for decades.
“I love it. It’s my passion,” he said.
He is the owner of The Fudge Factory in Bradenton Beach. It’s in a sweet spot of town, right next to Bridge Street Pier and other shops.
His number one selling item is in the store name — of course, fudge. And on this day, he is making his favorite flavor.
“Chocolate pecan,” he said.
But his overall store sales have declined within the past couple of months, down 30 percent.
“It’s been really a struggle,” Kaminecki said.
He thinks part of it is because of a slow tourism season and the government shutdown, but also from being devastated by Hurricane Helene last year. During December, January and February, he was down 70 percent.
“That was the worst experience of my lifetime. We lost our money because of the hurricane. The hurricane hurt us a lot. Business has not been the same since then,” Kaminecki said.
So now, he’s banking on his annual candy cane making presentation to bring in some money.
“This will help out with our community over here,” he said.
But he’s not alone.
The president of the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce said other businesses are also hoping holiday events will bring in more people.
“I do know that tourism has been down so far this year,” she said.
But this could just be a temporary setback.
“Now I am hearing from a lot of the accommodations that they are already heavily booking into next year,” she said.
For now, Kaminecki is focusing on his business, making sweet treats with a smile.
“And that’s all she wrote. You have chocolate turtle fudge at The Fudge Factory,” he said.
The candy cane making presentation begins at 6 p.m. It is every Friday and Saturday until Dec. 20.
Julia Hazel
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