Citrus couple return to ice cream business roots months after Idalia

HOMOSASSA, Fla. — Imagine your business becoming flooded overnight, all thanks to a hurricane. For Rebekah and James Barr, that was their reality after Hurricane Idalia.

Spectrum News first introduced you to the couple, who own the Ice Cream Barr in Homosassa, in September when they were still recovering from the storm. Now that the dust has settled, the husband-and-wife business duo is back on their feet and are embarking on a new business venture.

But they say getting to where they are now required overcoming a few obstacles.

“It was that time where our mettle was tested,” said James Barr. “It was like, ‘OK, you’re here. You’re in the building, you’re selling, you’re going and here’s your first big, big challenge.’”

In September, the Barrs were picking up the pieces after Hurricane Idalia impacted the Gulf Coast. The damage led to an evolution of their business and a chance to return to a business model that gave them their start.

“We first started under a tent doing a couple events and festivals,” said Rebekah Barr. “We had just a little pop-up tent. Some local people here offered to let us use their trailer and so they became our business partners. They let us use the trailer and it gave us a little legitimacy and it also a bit of branding, which is fun.”

They say the trailer is a welcome return to their humble beginnings. And they say no matter where they do business, their product is the same.

The Barrs still have their store in Homosassa, and after experiencing Idalia, they say it’s helped expand their vision for their work and has given them time to reflect and seek more opportunities.

“We want to bring something to the table and be the best at what we do and bring the most quality,” Rebekah said. “That’s always been our goal and continues to be our goal: to be the best we know how to be and just keep getting better and better.”