JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Elsa hasn't made it to the First Coast yet, but one San Marco business has already had some trouble early on this hurricane season.
As Fourth of July celebrations went on inside Sherwood’s bar Sunday afternoon, just outside debris passed by and people pushed their cars out of the water.
“If there's water in the street, we need to post like a 'no wake zone' sign out there on San Marco Blvd," Raymond Lutzen, owner of Sherwood’s Bar said.
The sandbags employees put up protected the front. However, Lutzen says they’re having to replace some equipment in the back after six-inch floodwaters caused damage.
“At some point, you're limited to what you can do," he explained. "It's mother nature. It's water, and if it's still coming down out of the sky and it's coming in your door – it's tough.”
The early flood this hurricane season isn’t a surprise to Lutzen.
He and his wife have a storm-prep system down after Irma, which is the store they call their "trial by fire.” Lutzen says they had to gut and renovate the entire bar after hip-deep floodwater from the hurricane destroyed it.
“You're wading through water and you're throwing stock away that's been in floodwater, and a lot of the equipment's underwater," he said.
Now, Lutzen monitors the radar and tides and has sandbags and squeegees ready to go at all times.
He says they do plan to be open on Wednesday but will play it by ear as Elsa is expected to impact the First Coast that day.