MATTHEW COUGHLIN
You don’t become theGulf Coasts most hallowed beach bar without a bit of divine intervention.
All of a sudden, they were hanging out together in this little shack by a liquor store.
Thats what it looked like in the late seventies and early eighties.
Credit:MATTHEW COUGHLIN
After Hurricane Ivan walloped the area back in 2004, there was nothing left of the original beachfront building.
For about three years, the bar operated out of a collection of tents and trailers.
But the faithful patrons still kept showing up.
They then built up the Flora-Bama againthis time constructing the rambling wooden shack 22 feet above flood level.
Beyond that, they havent altered much.
Our goal was to make it better without changing it because its such an iconic establishment, says McInnis.
Youre more a shepherd of the Flora-Bama than you are an owner of it, says Price.
