c o v e r s t o r y
30-A Standing Strong: Pause and Recharge b y N i k k i N i c k e r s o n
T he beaches now remind many of us of the early days: at night, very quiet with just a few people walking to the sunset. During the day, the beaches are empty and patrolled. But you can’t take our beautiful views away, so the ocean and the area’s beauty can still give us a sense of solace. Many families with 30-A second homes have chosen to be quarantined here. You see people walking and biking, though very few cars on the road. The March weather was perfect, and I know many of us living here feel a deep gratitude and hope that we will get through this difficult time.
The slowdown has given us all a pause on life, a time to reflect, and a time to live differently.
In the first full week of spring break in March, and with Covid 19 starting to make national headlines daily, our town was still bustling with people who had already planned their annual vacations. Traditionally the epic center of congregating and hosting large numbers of spring break tourists, Seaside quickly saw the need to intervene and were instrumental in us going into stay at home mode. Shortly thereafter, Walton County took measures to enforce social isolation both in beach towns and on the beaches. Our merchants, who pretty much count on spring revenue to make up for a loss of revenue in the winter, were suddenly forced into shut down mode with the rest of Florida and the country. Like everyone, we here on 30-A have dealt with significant emotions and confusion over the last couple of weeks. Our area is comprised of mostly hospitality and tourism businesses, so we were hit hard in an area where many of our workers already struggle to pay for their cost of living. My restaurants pivoted to a take-out business model, employed standards for safe working and distribution, and tried to provide on-going structure
Nikki Nickerson
30-A has long been a place for recharging and finding a sense of peace, so in some ways, we had a head start. But we have now returned to our roots once again. As CEO/Owner of Cowgirl Enterprises and 30A Coastal Life, Nikki oversees the operations of six business concepts and employs over 100 people on Scenic 30A. In addition to running her companies, Nikki is a peloton cycling enthusiast, backgammon strategist and official beach guide for her Labradoodle Billzey.
and employment for staff. There has been great unity with the locals who embrace 30-A as their home: people reaching out to check on one another, community business leaders like Jane Solomon donating money to help feed unemployed industry workers and first responders. The slowdown has given us all a pause on life, a time to reflect, and a time to live differently. The hustle bustle that normally preoccupies our daily life is replaced with a quiet respite—our phones no longer dictating our daily agenda, walks for no reason, and time with our families taking priority over our work.
T H E T H I R T Y- A R E V I E W | M A Y / J U N E 2 0 2 0 | 2 5
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