Johnny Earles establishes one-stop destination service

Johnny Earles establishes one-stop vacation destination

By Deborah Wheeler

debbie_wheeler@link.freedom.com

With 66 percent of the travel population using the Internet to book destination travels, Grayton Beach chef and Realtor Johnny Earles has found a way to capitalize on the market trend in a tourist driven community.

As a chef, Earles could provide a gourmet dining experience, and as a Realtor, he could provide destination travelers a place to stay. Why not widen the pool of options he could provide to establish a one-stop destination - everything a visitor could need while on vacation - all with one click of a mouse.

That's what Earles has done in establishing 30A Resorts.

Speculation within the community ran the gamut when Earles closed off two dining rooms at his restaurant on County Road 30A, Criolla's. Only recently has it become apparent Earles has bigger plans up his sleeves than feeding guests a meal.

Earles now offers potential 30A visitors a vacation home rental, dining reservations, arranging food and wine delivery, booking spa visits, fishing trips, bike and kayak rentals, tee times or tennis court reservations.

Earles said the company's goal is to blend real estate brokerage services, boutique concierge, special events planning and vacation accommodations under the 30A Resorts umbrella as a niche destination vacation and lifestyle company.

The 30A Resorts Web site combines real estate listings and a shopping boutique where visitors can buy specialty wines and organic food from the natural food store, For The Health of It, in Blue Mountain Beach. If the visit turns out to be too wonderful to leave, Earles can help find a permanent home in the area.

If the area's natural attractions aren't enough to entice and entertain a vacationer, the 30A Resort team is planning several musical concerts and wine events with special packages for those events.

Earles is banking on the marketability advantage and value of his one-stop property/concierge service, www.30aresorts.com.

To manage this endeavor, Earles has brought onboard an impressive list of partners. Ed Clark, Ken Catrino, Scott Provow, Steve Wagner and Chip Peay make up the team.

Earles, Catrino, Provow and Wagner make up the team of real estate counselors.

Clark worked for FedEx Corporation for 25 years, including serving as president and CEO of FedEx Trade Networks in Memphis. He has worked as a design engineer and financial analyst for W.R. Grace & Company in Memphis and serves as chairman of the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering Alumni Advisory Board. 

Provow is a retired Naval Aviator and Delta Airlines captain. He is a founding member of the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola and serves on the board of directors of Emerald Coast Association of Realtors. 

Catrino was previously a broker-associate with the St. Joe Company, specializing in WaterColor and WaterSound properties. He has also worked as a sales manager at Tops'l Beach & Racquet Resort.

Peay is founder and owner of Chip Peay Entertainment Inc. He was personal manager for Alan Jackson and other clients have included Restless Heart, Ricky Skaggs and Ronnie Millsap. He has overseen worldwide tours and 60-plus employees.

Peay was in charge of marketing and promotion with Arista Records and was a booking agent and facilitator of corporate sponsorship deals. He is a member of the Country Music Association, has served on the Belmont University Music Business School Advisory Board, Loews Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel Advisory Board, and the Commodore Yacht Club Board of Directors.

Earles has lived along Scenic 30A for more than 25 years and was founding president of the Scenic 30A Business Association. He is also an advisory board member of Regions Bank. He has garnered national acclaim over the past 19 years as the chef/owner of Criolla's in Grayton Beach, offering cuisine that is a fusion of New Orleans, Caribbean Creole, and other equatorial culinary influences.