Matlacha Jewelry and Hammock Company recovering

By PAULETTE LeBLANC pleblanc@breezenewspapers com

Pirganoski said

Jasmina and Artur Pirganoski own

Matlacha

Jewelry a n d H a m m o c k C o m p a n y A f t e r d a m a g e c a u s e d b y Hurricane Ian, they were temporarily closed, she said, reopening just before Christmas.

“We had a few inches of water, and the landlord took

The Matlacha store is just one of the locations owned by the couple, who did not fare as well at the Fort Myers Beach location as they did on Pine Island In fact, Pirganoski described the situation at the beach as devastating

“We thought this place would be gone, too, but we lucked out,” Pirganoski said

The day after the hurricane, the couple came immediately to their store, as they had not left the area for the storm After seeing the destruction to the other local businesses, the couple thought about how they would have to re-invest in their inventory, and repair damage It’s just a matter of time before they can re-stock the store, she said

“The locals have been a great help bringing in all their relatives and people who are visiting, but we don’t see as many snowbirds as before,” Pirganoski said

The big question for now, she said, is how business will go in Matlacha, after the hurricane took away the money-making season Bringing in more merchandise is a solid plan for this couple, as they are hoping it will help them build a bigger clientele They are looking forward to more summer apparel, such as shorts and bathing suits, combined with their custom jewelry and hammocks to carry them through

For now, help from the Greater Pine Island Chamber, in getting the word out about their business, has been very helpful, she said

“We’re hoping, catering more to the locals is going to get us through the summer,” Pirganoski said

Matlacha Jewelry and Hammock Company is located at 4547 Pine Island Road, unit B, Matlacha For additional information, call 239-558-5486.

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