Surf shop catches fire in Holmes Beach

HOLMES BEACH (FOX 13) - A staple surf shop on Holmes Beach was damaged after it caught fire on Sunday.

Firefighters were called to the West Coast Surf Shop just after 2:30 p.m. on Gulf Drive as a line of thunderstorms passed over the Bay Area. However, investigators say weather was not a factor in the fire, but rather an electrical shortage. 

There were three employees and almost 30 customers inside when the blaze started on the second floor where most of the retail space is located. The employees coordinated an evacuation of the building, and there were no injuries. Officials say there was up to $250,000 worth of damage.

The surf shop expressed their gratitude on their Facebook page early Monday morning by writing, "Thanks to our heroes, Kaitlin, Anna, & Benny for making sure our customers got out safe and sound! Not to mention the police and firefighters for their valiant efforts to save our livelihood! You don’t know how much it meant to come home to a parking lot full of amazing friends, family, customers, and kind strangers waiting with open arms. It made such a traumatic experience so much more bearable."

West Coast Surf Shop has been around since 1964.