Clearwater Beach Bar reopened Saturday, Oct. 24, at 411 Mandalay Ave., returning under a new name after two years of storm-related repairs and a complete renovation.

Owner Peter Czajkowski said he watched the destruction unfold on security cameras as the storm hit. Floodwater rose above the bar top. Beer coolers floated across the room.

"The water was over the bar … The beer coolers were floating in the middle of the room," Czajkowski told Spectrum Bay News 9.

The damage forced a complete gut renovation. Water destroyed much of the equipment inside the bar, which had operated for years under the name Jamminz Beach Bar before the rebrand.

Clearwater Beach Bar was far from alone on Mandalay Avenue. Many businesses along the corridor had to renovate after Helene tore through in late September 2024. Across the beach, about 80% of ground-level homes and businesses suffered water intrusion from the storm, Tampa Bay Beacons reported. Sand piled as high as six feet on streets in the days after the hurricane, keeping workers from reaching damaged properties.

Two years of repairs later, staff said the grand reopening went well. They said they look forward to more visitors checking out the renovated space.

Customer Rob Smith said the bar is a gathering spot that regulars missed during the long closure. He said the beach has improved since the storms forced widespread renovations and that he is glad to see businesses coming back.

Czajkowski said rebuilding the customer base after two years away will not be easy. He hopes to bring back longtime Jamminz regulars while drawing tourists to the new space. He described the effort as starting from scratch but said he believes in the bar's future as a destination for locals and visitors alike.

The bar's reopening makes it one of the latest Clearwater Beach businesses to complete hurricane repairs along Mandalay Avenue. No information on the total cost of repairs or how the renovation was funded was available in public reporting.