Treasure Island, Florida - The controversy on Sunset Beach has been a hot button issue for several years now.
Back in May, commissioners voted to ban alcohol on the beach every weekend from February to September. The ban would last all day from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.
For some residents, it sounded good. No more drunk people on the beach, no more nonsense, they said.
But for businesses, the effect was less than desirable.
For nearly three decades, At Cost Liquor on Treasure Island has been a hotspot. It's family-owned and business has always been good. Deshan Shah attends the University of Florida, but comes home often to see his parents, who have owned At Cost for years.
"My parents opened up shop here before I was born, since 1987. So, you know, we've seen a lot of things and this is one of the more memorable ones," said Shah.
But lately, his family admits there's one thing lacking - a bustling store full of customers. With an alcohol ban on Sunset Beach during the spring and summer months, this local mainstay is losing money.
Shah said with frustration, "I mean, that's bureaucracy, that's exactly what it is, what the definition is. People think they know better than everyone else and want to force their will on everyone."
The longtime business decided to fight the alcohol ban by filing a lawsuit to overturn it. In addition, a local 7-Eleven franchise is also part of the suit, hoping to lift the ban.
Those involved with the lawsuit are hoping to get more support in the future. Shah's father says he believes roughly 61 others will be part of the suit before all is said and done.
However, not everyone is hoping the ban is overturned. Kathy Delong is living in what she calls her "dream home" in Treasure Island. She likes the ban.
"Since we've had the ban, everyone felt that the results of the ban were a good thing," Kathy told 10 News in front of her home along Gulf Boulevard.
Kathy calls life on Treasure Island "paradise," a place she hopes will keep the weekend alcohol ban in place.
"We've been getting a crowd that was destructive, not respectful of people's property and, again, primarily this is a neighborhood," says Kathy.
It is a neighborhood that is poised to see big changes in the fufure and, for some businesses like the one the Shah family owns, the loss of big bucks.
The original ban began back in May, although this issue has been at the forefront for more than two years.