VENICE, Fla. — This time of year, locals and out-of-town visitors alike pack Florida's beaches, with everyone taking in the natural beauty and the fun activities our coastal communities offer. However, if you're hunting for sharks' teeth, head down to the Venice area in Sarasota County to truly get the best bang for your buck!
What You Need To Know
- The Venice area is known as the unofficial Shark Capital of the World
- One family loved shark's tooth hunting so much they created a tool to help them
- Brittanie Pierce and her family now run Shark Frenzy in Venice
- Visitors to their shop can learn how and where to find sharks' teeth
Sifting through the rocks, shells and sand that are found in the surf off Venice Beach is a pastime Brittanie Pierce began at just 5 years old.
Pierce and her family traveled from Illinois to the Gulf Coast beaches each year on family vacations, and hunting for sharks' teeth became a passion.
In fact, they invented and then patented a tool to make searching for shark's teeth even easier — the shark's tooth sifter.
“I'm 23 now, (and) my parents have been doing it a little longer than me... but just started using these sifters a little under a decade ago," Pierce said.
Her family at first just sold their shark's tooth sifter in a few local shops, but in 2019, they opened their very own shop, Shark Frenzy.
Their shop in Venice, known unofficially as the Sharks' Tooth Capital of the World, offers everything from their sifters to unique shells and sharks' teeth from around the globe.
“As long as it's safe conditions to do so, you can pretty much go beach combing anytime of the day, anytime of the year," Pierce said.
Spotting a fossilized shark's tooth along the nearly 14-mile stretch of pristine beaches isn't hard to do. You can find a wide variety of types of shark's teeth — from makos to tiger sharks. Some visitors have even found palm-sized megalodon teeth.
“We have a beautiful tiger shark tooth and a lemon shark tooth," Pierce said after finding two sharks' teeth within minutes of sifting on the beach.
You can learn the ropes on how to become a pro shark tooth hunter if you stop in to Pierce's and her family's shop.
Shark Frenzy is located on South Tamiami Trail in the heart of downtown Venice. It's open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The owners and staff are knowledgeable about the area and love helping anyone who comes into their store find the perfect location for shark tooth hunting!
For more information on the Venice area, Shark Frenzy, and the surrounding beaches head to the shop's website.