Before Hurricane Florence hit last fall, Tidewater Brewing Co.’s partners were almost ready to open in a circa 1940 building on Princess Street.

A taproom and bar area had been built, the piping system finished for the brewing equipment.

Final inspections for occupancy were the only things left. But winds during Florence sheared off the roof (shown above on Sept. 24, 10 days after the hurricane) and days of rain caused water damage.

The roof has since been replaced, this time with hurricane clips and other features to give it protection against future storms, said Lydia Berzonsky, one of the owners of Tidewater, which is leasing the building.

She said they don’t have an exact timeline for when construction will finish so they can finally open – but it’s something they still hope to do.