FORT PIERCE, Fla. — A year after tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Milton tore through St. Lucie County, Al’s Family Farms has reopened its beloved citrus shop, marking a major milestone for the third-generation business and its loyal customers.
The shop’s iconic red barn off Kings Highway was packed on Saturday with community members celebrating the return of a local staple many feared might not come back.
WATCH: " We're still here" - Al's Family Farms reopens to the public one year after Hurricane Milton
“Oh we were glad to see that,” said Fort Pierce resident Sandra Foster, who's been visiting Al's Family Farms for the last 12 years.
Fresh paint, a taller barn and a remodeled store greeted visitors as they stepped back into one of the few remaining citrus farms in South Florida.
“To see it now as it is I think it's just a relief for the community and everybody’s really just excited that we’re still here because they look at us as like a staple in the community,” said Matthew Schorner of Al’s Family Farms.
Just over a year ago, the farm’s signature barn was left in disarray. Splintered wood, twisted metal and widespread structural damage littered the property after multiple tornadoes touched down in Fort Pierce. The destruction left a void in the community.
“So this is like the last of the Mohegans as far as citrus goes because we actually have a store where you can come and buy your own citrus, get the citrus ice cream,” Schorner said. “We’re the last one that does all that and even makes fresh juice right here.”
Instead of replacing everything lost, the Schorner family salvaged what they could, including pieces of the original barn. They embraced the recovery with the help of the community.
“If it hadn’t been for folks like you and the community we wouldn’t have had the wind in our sails and we wouldn’t have had, certainly, the strength to do it,” said owner Jeff Schorner during the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Residents like Foster say the rebuild felt remarkably swift considering the scale of damage.
“We just keep going by watching the progress, but they did do it pretty quick,” she said.
Previous coverage: Al's Family Farms celebrates comeback from tornado damage
Now restored, the barn stands as a symbol of resilience and the farm’s enduring 48-year legacy in St. Lucie County.
“We’ve got a lot of ideas for things we can do to make this place even better because we’re planning on being here for a long time,” Matthew Schorner said.
Al’s Family Farms is once again open to the public, welcoming back customers with citrus, fresh juice and traditions rooted deep in the community.
Portions of this story were assisted by artificial intelligence tools and reviewed by a WPTV journalists to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to editorial standards.
