Five months ago, Angela Del Rosso giddily cut the ribbon on Nauti Girls Seafood in St. Augustine, fulfilling a long-held dream built on tenacity, persistence, and a deep love for the local fishing community.
With monotonous chains multiplying by the day across the Old City, the opening of a business with a local soul served as a breath of fresh sea air.
The shop quickly earned a devoted following for its fresh-caught seafood and commitment to local sourcing — but now, the tide has hit a new low.
Unrelenting road construction has largely isolated the once-promising storefront at 415 S. Ponce de Leon Blvd.
Heavy equipment, blocked roads, and nonstop noise have choked off foot traffic and made it difficult for customers to reach the small business.
In a Facebook post, Del Rosso said the “construction around our shop has been brutal.”
“It’s loud, it’s messy and worst of all it’s driving people away,” she said.
The store is still open — and staffers are still fighting like a hooked Marlin.
Del Rosso and her team show up every day determined to outlast the chaos, but the stakes are now growing.
What began as a temporary inconvenience now threatens the very survival of the business, with each day inflicting thousands of dollars in losses.
“We are still here and we are working harder than ever,” she said. But the grim prospect of a premature closure now looms.
Locals are doing what they can to keep Nauti Girls above the waterline.
St. Augustine Drone & Media Pros caught wind of the store’s plight and shot footage at the location to show what Del Rosso and her staff were forced to contend with.
“We stepped in to tell their story — for free — because small businesses like this are the heart of our town,” the company’s owners wrote.
The store’s offerings are sourced largely from nearby fishermen, meaning the ripple effects of its closure would extend far beyond its four walls.
The team has tried everything to adapt: running promotions, staying active on social media, and making sure their regulars know they’re still open. But with foot traffic vanishing, they’re turning to the broader community for help.
“We need your help to push through this rough patch,” Del Rosso said. “If you’ve ever loved what we do or just want to help a local business fighting to survive, now is the time.”
