'HURRICANE PARTY': Shorty's Place owner welcomes customers before hurricane

Parts of Charlotte County look like a ghost town after people boarded up and left the area before Hurricane Milton makes landfall.

However, there is one place that kept its lights on Tuesday. The owner of Shorty's Place in Punta Gorda wanted her customers to have a good time before the storm.

Victoria Scott

"People always want to party when a hurricane comes," said Shorty's Place owner Shorty Peters. "Yea, it’s a big hurricane party.”

Shorty's Place has been a staple in the community for more than a decade.

Peters told FOX 4's Victoria Scott that her place is always known to be open.

You can watch Victoria's full report here:

"We’re kind of a landmark in the community," Peters said. "We don’t close, and they rely on that. So, as you can see, we’re always here.”

However, she said she will close Wednesday to do some last-minute touches.

Peters just wants everyone to stay safe.

“I guess [we'll] just do the best we can," Peters said. "Keep people happy. Keep people safe. Send them home safe, and hopefully we’ll be here tomorrow.”

Shorty’s Place dealt with three feet of water after Helene.