Customers raise money for employees of destroyed St. Johns County restaurant after Matthew

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla — The Matanzas Innlet restaurant was one of the businesses in St. Johns County destroyed by Hurricane Matthew.

Walls were blown away along with the outside deck, and furniture was smashed into one big pile of debris.

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Owner Joan Galasso said they’d been there for 25 years and are so sad to be closed.

“It was utter devastation. It was remarkable, unbelievable, surreal,” Galasso said.

While she dealt with insurance and figuring out what to do with the restaurant itself, she also had to speak with the 15 employees who now are without a job.

“Everyone came over Sunday or Monday after the hurricane and there were plenty of tears,” Galasso said.

Galasso said the entire staff is like a family, and so are the customers who came in weekly. She said when the customers learned the staff could no longer work there, they began raising money to help them while they looked for other jobs.

“We’ve taken care of our customers for years and now it seems like they are stepping up to help us and my staff,” Galasso said.

Galasso said it was such a kind gesture and the money raised will go to her employees.

Cox Media Group