A year ago, Diane Campbell sat by the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church columbarium and spoke to her brother who is interred there.
Brian Daley died on March 23, 2023. About three years earlier, he had asked Campbell if she would be willing to start a beach rental business with him in Flagler Beach. He would deliver the beach chairs, umbrellas and tables, and she would do the rest. Campbell, who was still living in Atlanta at the time, agreed.
Diane Campbell at her home last week with her puppy, Poppi. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Daley was the creator and inspiration behind Bony Booty’s Beach Rentals. Now he was gone.
Campbell didn’t know whether to continue the business, so, sitting in the columbarium, she posed the question to her late brother.
“I sat there and I was like, ‘Dude, what do you want me to do with this now?’ Of course, there’s a lot of grief and just a sense of feeling alone in it, not knowing if I want to do it without him,” she said. “But before I left the columbarium, I said, ‘You know what, bro? I’m gonna rock this thing.’ I’m gonna do it because I know he would want that. He would want me to continue to do it.”
Campbell has become the face of Bony Booty’s, wearing a pirate hat to events. Rex Galindo, who owns the Flip Flop Shops franchise in Flagler Beach, is Bony Booty’s new operations partner. Another partner, Elizabeth Hightower, who lives in Georgia, does the books.
Bony Booty’s supplies rentals to Flagler County beach goers in two ways. With the Concierge Line, it delivers rentals to customers on the beach. “They tell us which walkover they want it,” Campbell said. With the Comfort Line, customers pick up a backpack at the Flip Flop Shops at 214 Moody Blvd. They cater to visitors who stay at hotels or Airbnb’s.
Daley and Campbell came up with the name of the business based of the pirate theme because of Flagler County’s proximity to St. Augustine.
“We were looking for something that was relatable to people. We knew it was a fun business,” she said “We were just hashing out all these names, and you know, booty and pirates go together, stealing the booty. And bony, kind of skull and crossbones,” Campbell said.
And the inside joke, Campbell said, was that Daley had a bony butt.
Brian Daley with “Ms. Salty”. Courtesy photo
He was all in, she said. He acquired a skeleton mascot that he named Ms. Salty.
“He had a motorcycle and he wanted to put (Ms. Salty) on the back,” Campbell said.
Campbell is keeping it “all piratey.” Outside of the business she dresses up in pirate garb as a volunteer with Seawolf Privateers, which raises money to support foster children.
Campbell and her husband, Dan, moved to Florida in 2021, and she began networking and doing events for the business while Daley delivered the rentals. Then in 2022, Daley got sick.
“It was a downward spiral,” Cambell said. “He welcomed the new partner in. He was in Rex’s shop and said, “Thank you for all you’re doing. I can’t wait to get back out there. He could barely walk at that point. He was so weak.”
Campbell knows her brother would be pleased with Bony Booty’s now.
“We’re renting earlier in the season than we ever have. We’re getting some really good traction. We’re getting some good connections,” she said. “And we’re bringing in new products.”
The business won a grant last December from the Professional Women of Flagler County to do a video production. Campbell is also looking forward to the opening of the Compass by Margaritaville Hotel next year.
“We want to be their go-to,” she said. “We’re literally not 50 yards from them.
“We want to serve the community,” she said, “because people need it. Not everybody can take their chairs up and over the walkovers onto our soft sand. I think it’s a beach service and a tourism service that people can benefit from.”
