Profile 2022 by thepostsearchlight

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Home is Where the Heart is

4 PROFILE

JOHN WELLS General Manager JILL HOLLOWAY Managing Editor

news@thepostsearchlight.com

ETHAN REDDISH Contributing Editors MILLS BROCK BECKY BARDIN Contributing Photographers

ello, and welcome to Profile 2022! It has been almost three years since we have produced a Profile Edition, but I was thrilled when the opportunity presented itself to bring it back. In year’s past, we have profiled esteemed individuals in the community, but I really wanted this Profile to be different and be a more abstract profile of an individual. When I was interning for South Magazine in Savannah, I was lucky enough to work on the Homes Edition. I got to see the inside of beautiful antique mansions and photograph every type of home product from Audrey Hepburn-inspired bathtub couches to HVAC technicians. A home is truly a great indicator of someone. It displays collectables, memories, favorite photos, awards. It says who you are, without ever saying a word. For that reason, I wanted this Profile to be the “Homes Edition.” I am so

EDITORIAL

ADVERTISING MEGHAN LASHLEY RALPH DOBSON Advertising Sales Staff 229-495-6123

PRODUCTION MARK POPE General Manager Profile is published once a year by Bainbridge Media, LLC. P.O. Box 277 Bainbridge, GA 39818 (229) 246-2827 Advertising rates and information available upon request.

grateful to everyone who opened their home to us, and I can’t wait to share what’s inside these pages.

PROF LE Home is wherever you make it

TABLE OF CONTENTS THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE HOMEBUILDING PROCESS

Bunny and Ray Brock recently sold their beach house in hopes of building their forever home. Now, they can be found enjoying their back porch on Lake Douglas Road.

Owned since 1961, Brownlee Glass is a staple for businesses and homes alike. Now run by Brownlee’s son-in-law and grandson, the business continues to thrive.

June Faircloth knows a thing or two about interior design. She is a full-time design consultant and loves helping people make their house into a home with the things they already own.

Jan and Mitch Suber never imagined that when they quit the ceramic tile business to create custom-made shutters they would become known throughout the United States.

Chip Hall with Hall Contracting & Design, LLC. grew up in a family of contractors and knew he was destined to become one as well. Now, he is one the premier historic-renovation specialist.

When Tim McLaughlin passed away, Wayne Holcombe thought he was just stepping in to fill some final orders, but while working, he found his real passion for cabinetry.

Henry and Barbara Intili took on the ultimate challenge of building their own farmstyle home, after Henry was inspired by his father, who built his childhood home.

Lamon Logue always loved creating furniture. Following the closing of he and his brother’s furniture shop, he has found time to create one-of-a-kind custom pieces for friends.

THE POST- SEARCHLIGHT 5

6 PROFILE

The Brock House When Bunny and Ray Brock saw this lot on Lake Douglas Road, they knew it was a must-buy. Several contracts later, they began building their forever home.

ay and Bunny Brock had just sold their beach house due to lack of usage, when Ray suggested the couple build a new forever home in Bainbridge. Both Ray and Bunny had land in Decatur County from family farms, but neither one wanted to relocate out of the City’s limits. That is when they found a lot on Lake Douglas Road and made an offer on it. At the time, there was a competing offer, but with Bunny being a realtor, she kept pursuing the property. Finally, the offer was accepted and the Brocks were able to begin the building process. “As soon as it was accepted, I met with the builder,” she said. At the time Bunny and Ray wanted to build, local builders were swamped with projects, so the Brocks went with Barwick Construction out of Thomasville, specifi-

THE POST- SEARCHLIGHT 7

ally working with Jamie Marsh. “Once we met with Jamie, he told us the architect he used in Thomasville and then we met with him,” Bunny said. After only seeing two versions of design plans, the Brocks had their vision. “Jamie was building a house at the same time, and I got a couple of things from him, and he got a couple of things from me,” Bunny said. One of the unique parts of the Brock’s design was making the entire house handicap accessible, due to their age. “Ray told the architect there’s only two things I want: a ramp- a concrete ramp, and three foot doors,” Bunny said. Ray’s wish was granted, when the house was completed. “All of our doors and the shower have three foot doors and would allow us to come and go as we please, 8 PROFILE

if we were ever wheelchair-bound,” Bunny explained. “When you need it, you have to have it right then, you can’t wait.” The three foot doors are easily created with pocket doors, which the homes has eight of in total. Three of the pocket doors lead to the master bathroom, which Bunny refers to as her bathroom. However before passing into the luxurious master bath, guests must take note of the stunning master bedroom, which features Bunny’s “coastal farmhouse” décor and Suber custom blinds. The master bedroom window also has Bahama shutters on the exterior. The shutters are designed to be propped open at about a 45-degree angle, but are adjustable. Bunny said they use the shutters to close off the heat during the summer, and it also provides privacy from neighbors, along with decora-

tion. When describing her “coastal farmhouse” look, Bunny knew exactly what she was going for. “I don’t like chickens and roosters that’s not me, I like simple,” she said. “I like grasses and birds, but not local birds; I like Florida birds.” Bunny has pictures, specifically of herons displayed throughout the home. Once led through the master bedroom and bath, guests enter a double walk-in-closet with outlets. Bunny said that Ray requested outlets be put in there, which she loves so she can steam her clothes every morning in the closet and just get ready right in there. After a quick peak at the kitchen, Bunny and Ray take guests usually to their outdoor patio, where they can hear water running from their In the Garden fountain and enjoy the sunsets.

On the patio sits a reclaimed table that Bunny had made from palettes. However, the table has begun to show some wear and tear. But, Bunny said she already has plans to replace it with a fire pit of the same size once the table gives out. Near the table is a handmade swing. Bunny said she and Ray customized it, because they wanted cup holders for when they sat in the swing and overlooked the lot. On the back side of the lot sits Bunny’s mother’s old bird bath, along with landscape lighting that turns on at night. “In the Spring, it gets really pretty out here,” she said. While there is plenty of room for a pool, Bunny said they had already had pools at their previous homes and

wanted to keep the beautiful planting that the lot already had. The lot includes seven Magnolia trees, along with azaleas and two holly bushes, which were planted by the original lot owner. “She (the original lot owner) had a plant nursery out here,” Bunny said. “She had just planted a lot of shrubbery.” As the conversation and drinks wear down, Bunny and Ray usually retire to the family room, lit by a stunning fireplace. Bunny said this house differs from her previous home in the openness of it all. “Our old house was a 1990’s house,” she said. “It was a 3 bedroom and 2 bath house, but the kitchen and breakfast room was kind of separate

from the living room.” She also wanted this home to be brighter. “As we’ve gotten older, we’ve strayed away from the dark,” she said. “We want everything to just be light and airy.” Fortunately, most of their old furniture still had the feel Bunny was going for, and she was able to reuse most everything in her new home, with the exception of two chairs. “We never really planned on this move,” she said. “We were in our old home for 21 years, but then everything just happened.” And while everything happened quickly, Bunny said she and Ray wouldn’t change a thing, because this new home has grown to be a very comfortable oasis for them.

THE POST- SEARCHLIGHT 9

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12 PROFILE

BROWNLEE GLASS COMPANY INC. Dewayne Culverson had some big shoes to ﬁll when his father-in-law, Fred Brownlee asked him to take over the family glass company, Brownlee Glass. After a few weeks of getting the hang of things, and co-managing with Brownlee’s grandson, Brandon Horne, Culverson felt right at home. Now, after 60 years in business, they couldn’t be prouder.

any things are passed from one generation to the next: priceless heirlooms, folktales, entire properties, and sometimes, the family business. Brownlee Glass Company is one such business. Formerly the C. Ross Rich Glass Company, the company was purchased by Fred Brownlee in 1961. Brownlee moved the business to its current location on Broughton Street in 1963. He owned the business for years, before one

day approaching Dewayne Culverson, his son-in-law, about potentially taking over. “Basically, Mr. Brownlee was thinking about retiring or getting out of the business one day, and he asked me if I might be interested in the business,” Culverson explained. “I told him that I’d probably be like a bull in a china shop, but I’d give it a try, and I’ve been here ever since.” Culverson co-owns the business with Brandon Horne, grandson of Brownlee. Horne got started working

for Brownlee Glass in 1993 during high school. “I was working at Winn Dixie stocking groceries, and they kept screwing with my hours,” he recounted. “I’d be scheduled to work 20 hours one week, and like 2 hours the next week. I talked to the manager and told them I needed 15 hours to pay what few bills I had. They just kept jerking me around, and my granddaddy said ‘Well I can get you on over there at the glass shop and guarantee you 20 hours every week’… and I’ve pretty much been here ever since.” THE POST- SEARCHLIGHT 13

Now, Horne’s two sons, Gage and Dillan, both work for the company as well. With roughly 69 years of combined experience, the two men have seen preferences change over time. “Everything changes. When I first started, as far as putting up mirrors, everything we did, we put them all up with holes and rosettes, where you drill the holes in the corner and use the rosettes,” Horne said. “Then they kind of transitioned to wanting them glued up, they didn’t want to see any hardware on them. Now we mostly use Dallas clips and just silicone the bottom.” Other changes include preferences for shower doors. “Nowadays, the majority of people want what they call a frameless shower unit that’s just clear glass, when you walk in the bathroom it’s almost like nothing’s there,” Culverson said. “Used to, when I went to work here in 1982, nobody put a shower door in if it didn’t have obscure or frosted glass in it.” Mirrors and shower doors aren’t the only glass products Brownlee installs. Commercial storefronts, glass tabletops, glasswork for heavy equipment (front-end loaders, tractors, etc.), and residential window repairs are some of their other

14 PROFILE

areas of expertise. “We tell them, ‘If you can dream it up, we’ll glass it up,’ and we’ve run into some challenging situations with some of the stuff people dream up,” Horne said. The business offers their services to a wide area, roughly a 100-mile radius of Bainbridge according to Culverson. Supply chain issues and inflation have also affected their business, though Horne stated it “hasn’t hit us as bad as some other places or some other businesses.”

“We’re not going to cut any corners if we do something. It’s gonna be done right,” Horne said. “We try to do it right and we stand behind our work,” Culverson concurred. “We’ve been blessed and we appreciate our community for standing behind us this length of time, and hope that this family-owned glass shop will continue on into the future, with both of Brandon’s sons working here, on into the future, to continue to serve Bainbridge and the surrounding area.” THE POST- SEARCHLIGHT 15

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18 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Winter 2022

DeVenco-Suber Family owned and operated since 1990, DeVenco-Suber provides custom blinds and shutters all across the United States. While they never envisioned being known cross-country, Mitch and Jan Suber are over the moon with their progress.

itch and Jan Suber are the experts when it comes to interior shutters and

blinds. The couple has been providing fine interior custom wood shutters for over 26 years, and recently acquired world-renowned historic wooden blinds manufacturer, DeVenco Blinds, making them a one-stop shop. The Subers didn’t always know they wanted to go into the blind and shutters business; they were previously in the ceramic tile business, when

plantation shutters took off. “We were introduced by a designer to do plantation shutters, and we did and it went so well, we decided this is the industry to get into,” Jan said. They then worked with a company in Atlanta for approximately four years, before they branched out on their own in 1991. When they first branched out, they just wanted to provide shutters to South Georgia and North Florida; they never imagined they would one day be creating custom blinds and shutters for some of the most

influential people across the United States. “The interesting thing was I didn’t have a strong background in woodworking,” Mitch said. “I used to work with my friend in a cabinet business after school, but that was it.” Nevertheless, Mitch soon fell into the groove and was able to envision what would look perfect in every home. The Subers begin their blinds and shutters process by visiting the customer’s home for an in-home THE POST- SEARCHLIGHT 19

consultation. They see what would best suit the space, before providing suggestions and giving color options. Once all is agreed upon, Mitch usually takes measurements and gets to work. Because every blind and shutter is custom produced, there is no mass production at the workshop. “We very rarely have a standard size,” Mitch explained. Jan went to say that because of their ability to customize, it doesn’t matter the shape or size of the window, they can create it. Jan shared some of the custom-created blinds, awaiting to be delivered, which varied in color. “We can do any color you want,” she said. “Any Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams color I can do. We can even do custom stains.” The blinds then have tapes and 100 percent cotton chords to match them. While at one point, all three products were made in America, the tapes no longer are. But, Jan is still proud to say the final blinds product is still assembled in America. Jan said they additionally paint the hinges to match the blind color, which is among one of the last steps.

20 PROFILE

After the wooden blind is cut, processed and sanded, the blinds then go through a roller coat machine, which paints it for the Subers. “The blind is an authentic wood blind, there is nothing fake about it,” she said proudly. “With it being real wood, we are able to create much longer blinds than you could with a fake wood or something like that.” Due to its authenticity, the blinds rarely fade. Jan said it would take between 30-50 years for the paint on the blinds to fade. “We do have customers send them back in after their tape has been sun damaged, and if we notice that’s caused any of the wood to deterio-

rate in color, we sand them back down and refinish them,” she said. “Then they are good for another 50 years.” Because the blinds and shutters are so long lasting, and the Subers have the ability to use different versions of wood such as oak, cherry, birch and more, they have instrumental in several historic projects. Jan shared they have worked on the Governor’s Mansion, along with President Taft’s house. “We are getting ready to do the New Jersey State house with blinds,” she said. “We build it here, and will just ship it to him.” Jan explained that because of DeVenco being an 80-year company,

they had amassed quite a lot of customers, which now have turned into their customers. However, a lot of new customers are finding them as well, through their new website and of course, word of mouth. “We are the only people in the country who make this type of blind,” she explained. In addition to the shutters and blinds, the Subers have recently added other window treatments such as, motorized shades and motorized blinds. While there is currently a long waiting list, the Subers would love to help any homeowner pick out a customized shutter, blind set or motorized shade.

Winter 2022 / BAINBRIDGE LIVING 21

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24 BAINBRIDGE LIVING / Winter 2022

After working diﬀerent jobs for several years, Wayne Holcombe was presented one day with the opportunity to finally pursue his dream job: cabinet making. Now, he works with his family, and says he’s the happiest he’s ever been.

hen doing something, be it a job, project or hobby, it’s important for one’s heart to be in it. Doing something without fully being able to commit to it can affect one’s performance, or simply their personal enjoyment. Some people spend their whole lives working in jobs they have no interest for, while others go into their desired field from the get-go. In Wayne Holcombe’s case, he spent

several years working various jobs, before being given the opportunity to run his dream business, The Cabinette Shoppe. “I did Precision Audio for a couple of years, I did DirecTV for a couple of years,” Holcombe recounted. He originally learned how to build cabinets fresh out of high school, hoping to learn how to make speaker boxes. “I did paint and body work, my dad does that, so I’ve been around

paint and body work my whole life, but I always go back to cabinets. That’s where my heart’s at.” The Cabinette Shoppe, originally Tim’s Custom Cabinets, found its way to Holcombe due to an untimely death. “My buddy Tim McLaughlin, that passed away, well his sister called me and asked me if I could finish up some jobs, because he unexpectedly passed,” he explained. “So his sister asked me if I’d be willing to finish up his work for him, and I was like ‘Shoot yeah, man.’ I loved Tim, Tim was a good dude.” McLaughlin’s wife showed Holcombe around the shop, and it took him around two months to finish the remaining jobs. “Then I met the owner that owned the building

here. He saw my work and was like, ‘Why don’t you have a cabinet shop?’” The owner, John Bush, helped Holcombe get the Cabinette Shop established, and gave him the same opportunity as McLaughlin. “He’s a really nice guy,” Holcombe said. Now, Holcombe’s nephew, Carsen Love, and his son, Ethan Lord, work with him assembling and installing everything from kitchen cabinets, to entertainment centers, gun cabinets and vanities. “You name it, if it’s involving wood, I got you covered.” In addition to building and installing the cabinets, the Cabinette Shoppe also stains and paints them, and will also make custom-made laminate counter tops.

“If you ever get a chance to do something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life,” Holcombe said, “and if anybody wants to learn how to build some cabinets, come see me.” Despite supply chain issues and having to learn how to run his own business, Holcombe is living his dream.

THE POST- SEARCHLIGHT 25

According to Holcombe, they will begin offering doors as well. The average build time for a set of cabinets or doors is two weeks. Despite this job being where his heart is at, it hasn’t all been sunshine and rainbows. “It’s had its challenges… I already knew how to do the work, I did not know how to run a business,” Holcombe said. There have also been supply chain issues to contend with. “All the plywood, the birch is super hard to get right now. There is some walnut you can get your hands on, and some oak, but actually birch has been the hardest to get,” he explained. That said, Holcombe doesn’t regret it. “It’s most definitely been worth it! I’m the happiest I’ve been in my whole life. I’m 46 years old and I’m super stoked about this,” he said. “It’s been scary though, I’m not gonna lie. I’ve went home at night and been like, ‘Oh honey, I hope we can do it.’” “I take quality very seriously. Quality is my number one thing. I don’t really worry about how good of a deal I can get you… I’ll try to cut you a really good deal, but give me time to build it,” Holcombe said. “The faster it gets, the more the quality suffers.” In closing, Logue commented, “If you ever get a chance to do something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life, and if anybody wants to learn how to build some cabinets, come see me.”

26 PROFILE

THE POST- SEARCHLIGHT 27

HANDYMAN LAMON LOGUE Born into a family of builders, Lamon Logue previously owned a furniture store with his brother: Logue Brothers Furniture. However, after his brother and his wife had a baby, Logue was left manning the shop alone and eventually had to close up after 7 years. His love for creating one-of-a-kind pieces never stopped, making him the most sought after handymen.

he saying goes, if you do what you love you’ll never work a day in your life. Some people are fortunate enough to make a living off what they enjoy. Local Lamon Logue is one such person. Born into a family of builders, Logue originally took up furniture making as a hobby, before starting Logue Brother’s Furniture with his brother. “Everything was real wood furniture,” he recounted. “But some of the furniture, you’d get somebody that’d say, ‘Hey

I like this table, but I want it nine foot, but it only comes at six foot,’ so me and my brother, we would build it.” Not only did Logue have building experience with his store, he also previously worked as a combat engineer in the Army, working on bases and traveling from Fort Stewart, to Germany and even Iraq. He was injured by a rocket-propelled grenade in Iraq in 2003, and was hospitalized for a year with a traumatic brain injury. “They said I might not walk or function

like I did before, but I overcame their expectations,” he said. “I still have issues sometimes but I don’t let them stop me.” For seven years, Logue built furniture for the store, before it closed down in 2017, due to family and health issues. “The only reason I had to get out of the furniture store was that my brother, he and his wife had a baby, and they had some complications,” he explained. “So they were back and forth from here to Birmingham, and left me at the store by myself. Moving all the heavy furniture by myself, I caught a hernia, and I THE POST- SEARCHLIGHT 29

had to close the store down to recuperate from surgery.” Now working as a self-described “handy man”, Logue offers his building services to restaurants and businesses to individual customers as well, with restaurants usually wanting bars and seats, while individuals may want anything from a dining room table to a barn door. Some businesses that feature Logue’s furniture include Sio’s and the Elysian Tea Room. Most lumber for his projects comes from various sawmills in the area, with the most popular types of wood including cypress, blued pine and oak. For some projects, such as the Elysian Tea Room, Logue has repurposed old wood from buildings, with the Elysian’s bar top being repurposed from the old skating rink at Yates Springs. Despite some businesses struggling with supply chain shortages, Logue’s local lumber supply has mostly protected him from these issues: “It doesn’t affect me, unless it’s something I’ve got to buy from Home Depot.” “It’s something I enjoy doing,” Logue said of his work. “It keeps me occupied, it does a service for the community. I help out local businesses, not only in the sawmill industry, but also helping them get started with their business. Their success is my success.”

30 PROFILE

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Epic Designs by June Faircloth

With over 40 years of experience, June Faircloth can turn any home into an owner’s dream with her business, Epic Designs by June Faircloth. This design consulting firm looks to make each home unique and special, by adding a designer’s touch to items already in existence.

home’s interior is a direct reflection of its owners. It reflects their style, their interest and perhaps remnants of years gone by. While every homeowner’s dream is to display their decorations in a way that can be noticed by all, but also correlate with the ongoing trends seen in today’s homes, it can sometimes become overwhelming. However, they need not fret, as

interior decorator June Faircloth can help solve any problem before it even appears. Faircloth owns her own interior decorating firm, Epic Designs by June Faircloth, which has been in business for over 40 years. Throughout her 40 years in business, Faircloth has seen numerous changes when it comes to design. “I’ve seen a lot more trends come and go,” she said. “People are a lot

trendier today than they were; everything before was so traditional.” Faircloth went on to explain that these trends are especially more prevalent in the younger generation, because as with everything nowadays, decorations are replaceable. “They’re not as concerned with things that will carry on throughout their homes for years to come,” she said. “They make more updates.” And while trends may seem popular at the moment and give a new flair to the home, Faircloth has a mantra she lives by. “Good design is only that if it reflects the lifestyle of those who inhabit a space,” she said. Faircloth’s mission is to design a home, but not have visitors realize she

did. “I never want people to walk in and say ‘Oh June Faircloth did this house,’” she explained. “I want people to walk in and say ‘Oh your house is beautiful’ not it looks like another person’s.” Faircloth realizes that people who are hiring her, probably do need help, but she said the truth is that usually the homeowners have all the stuff they need, they just don’t know what to do with it. “The biggest fear people have is that I’m going to make them throw away all their stuff and start over, but I don’t do that,” Faircloth said. “In fact, I only like to add things to what they already have.” When helping them design, Faircloth said she is a big fan of functionality. “If it doesn’t function

One of June Faircloth’s favorite things to do when designing in a home is to extend a space from the outdoors in. She loves to tie in the natural light and pieces used on the porch to match the home’s interior. This type of design can be seen in a home she helped with above.

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with their lifestyle, then it’s a waste of their money, regardless of the trend,” she said. Speaking of trends, Faircloth shared that a lot of “must haves” in recent years are now trending out, including the ever-popular farmhouse look. Faircloth explained that this look became well known due to its popularity in HGTV shows, but those television programs have changed, causing the trends to die off as well. She continued on to say that bright colors, along with the greys that could once be found in most rooms are trending out. “You’re going to see people go back to more earth tones,” she said. Along with more earth tone paint colors, people can expect to see the return of wallpaper. “With wallpaper you can create illusions and it’s not expensive,” she said. The earth tones and wallpaper go hand in hand, as Faircloth said a lot of the wallpaper customers are choosing are natural looks, such as uncovered stone work or natural brick work. Although many thought they would never see a day when 34 PROFILE

Epic Design’s Sub Contractors •

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carpet and wallpaper returned, it is now prevalent. However, carpet has been replaced by LVT flooring, which is made of recycled PVC pipe. “Probably 90% of flooring sales in the United States right now are LVT floors,” Faircloth said. “Before it was used residentially, it was really popular in hospitals and healthcare because the boards were glued down and completely impervious to body fluids.” While there’s just as many great options for LVT flooring, Faircloth said there’s an equal amount of trash products. “What I’ve noticed is the lack of product knowledge in consumers today, but our motto is the educated consumer is the best consumer,” she said. For this reason, Faircloth said she

often gets involved in the planning from the very beginning, helping critique blueprints that have been drawn and even drawing some plans up herself. “We really are what you would call a full-service design center,” she explained. “We start from the very beginning and walk our clients all the way through.” Due to her thorough design process, Faircloth is booked 2 ½ years out.

Even with the current amount of work and the future work to be done, Faircloth said there is nothing she would rather do. “I love every project, my favorite part is in the end when a house becomes a home and they repeatedly call and say they love their house,” she said. “It’s what is rewarding for us.” People’s love for their home causes Faircloth to be called on repeatedly for future generations.

In fact, she is currently working on the old Nussbaum home for their granddaughter. “It’s so exciting, because I worked for her grandmother, and I just think it’s fabulous to see the younger generation breathe new life into it,” she said. For those interested in Faircloth helping them breathe new life into their house or work with their current pieces, she be contacted at 229-246-470. THE POST- SEARCHLIGHT 35

36 PROFILE

Hall Contracting & Design, LLC Growing up the son of a contractor, Chip Hall always knew he wanted to be out in the ﬁeld, on a job sight.

all Contracting is a powerhouse when it comes to historic renovation, and behind every power house is an owner pouring in hours of hard work. Chip Hall was born into a family of contractors. His father was a contractor, who worked mostly on homes and was in the cabinet-making business as well. “The cabinet business excelled and it got to the point where it was just amazing,” Hall said. “It was our family business and I worked alongside my dad for years and years.”

And while Hall enjoyed working with his dad, he didn’t like just doing one small part of a much bigger project; he wanted to be a contractor. He told his dad his ambitions and then went to work at a larger contractor in Tallahassee, Florida called Llt Building Corp. While working with Ltt Building, Hall was promoted several times. “I started out as just as estimator,” he said. “Then I was moved to Assistant Project Manager, Marketing Manager and then I became a Project Manager for them.”

While working as a Project Manager, Hall got to take part in some amazing projects. “I was fortunate enough to get to play a very small piece in the Ruby Diamond Auditorium Renovation at Florida State University,” he said. Despite his love of working for Llt Building Corp., tragedy struck in 2011, when Hall’s dad passed away. “I came home to take over his business, because I didn’t want to send all of those people home without a job,” he said. At the time, Hall was also working THE POST- SEARCHLIGHT 37

to get his Contractor’s license. “I went ahead and got the license, but just kept running the shop,” he said. After seven years of running his father’s cabinet business, Hall finally decided to pursue his dream in 2018 and become a contractor. “Since 2018, I’ve been fortunate enough to now be on what feels like every corner of Bainbridge,” he said. While Hall’s work can be found almost anywhere, as he said, he is most well-known for his historic renovation work, which all stemmed back to his time working for Llt Building Corp. and getting to take part in the Auditorium Renovation. “I was able to watch several projects take place during that time, one of which was Goodwood Plantation, and with my woodworking background, I just really appreciated it,” Hall said. Fortunately, Bainbridge had plenty of historic work to keep Hall busy. “It’s what I love to do,” he said. “I would much rather do historic renovations than brand new construction.” With buildings varying in age and material, Hall said he has been lucky when tearing down some of the abandoned or abated properties. “I get to keep those materials and reclaim them,”

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he explained. “We kind of treat these properties with kid gloves. We do a lot of inspection work before we ever tear a wall open. Fortunately for us now, we have so many cameras that can inspect little cavities and show us everything.” Since working with the homes, Hall has learned quite a bit of history. He has also realized that a lot of the older homes were built by the same contractor. “You can tell the style of structure is the same,” he said. Hall compared two of his current projects he is working on: the former Ehrlich Doctor’s office and the former Ehrlich Drug Store. “They are very similar and have the same woodwork,” he shared. “I’ve actually interchanged some of the woodwork and you can’t even tell. Hall said approximately 50 percent, if not more, of his workload is historic renovations. While not a historic renovation, Hall said one of his favorite projects he ever got to work on was for the historic St. George Island Plantation Association. “They built a $4 million clubhouse facility that I was fortunate enough

to start out as Assistant Project Manager, but got to finish as Project Manager.” Hall detailed that the project intricacies, including an Olympic size swimming pool, and electric smoke doors that would shut if the fire system went off. “I learned a lot because I was on the job,” he said. “I’m not really a behind the desk person, so it was great to be a part of everything that was happening.” As for historic renovations, Hall has really enjoyed his current project that he has undertaken. He had purchased the former Ehrlich Doctor’s Office to make into his personal office, but has now rented it out. “I’ve found a lot of the original doctor’s signs that were on the wall,” he said. “It’s been one of my pet projects.” Hall has had to take out the ceiling and replaced it with all new wood. “It’s the challenge we enjoy,” he shared. Although many of Hall’s projects include commercial historic renovations, he also helps with local historic home upkeep. He is currently working on Dr.

Miller’s house, redoing the exterior and replacing all the rotted wood. In order to do this, Hall has had to manufacture some of the wood himself, using remnants from other previous projects. He most recently used a dental mold using 100-year-old pine for Julie and Lee Harris’ exterior renovation. “We had some sections in her trim that were missing, so we had to make something ourselves that would match,” he explained. “It’s like an art project; you never know what you are going to have to mold to make it work.” Hall is putting his creativity to the max, as he currently has 31 projects on his plate, including additions to the Donalsonville Hospital, the Bainbridge city-wide sign replacement, replacing the nursing station at Memorial Manor, renovating individual suites on Water Street, building a boat house in Valdosta and many more. With a full plate, Hall’s hours are 7 a.m-7 p.m., sometimes even later. As for the future, Hall said he plans to go full speed ahead for the next 10 years, before retiring hopefully by the coast.

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The EhrlichImmendorf House With a history as rich as its design, the Erlich-Immendorf House is now being offered for sale, presented by ERA Simpson Realty.

his beautiful historical home was built in 1898. The stunning Queen Anne styled home is on the list of buildings designed by late-19th- and early-20th-century catalogue architect, George Franklin Barber (1854 - 1915) and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was owned by the Ehrlich family and features elaborate moldings, staircase, tin ceilings, hand-selected floor boards, and stained glass windows. This home contains mantels and doors that were saved when the first home on this lot burned. The dining room is large enough to seat 50 people. A fun fact about this home is that the Ehrlich-Immendorf House was the first home in Decatur County with electricity. The Immendorf Family have lovingly maintained this 100 plus year old home by keeping it’s austere grandeur while updating the home in 2017 with the installation of a new 5 ton HVAC system and in 2019 installed the new architectural styled slate roof. This spacious home is over 5, 500 square feet , has a large back yard, outbuildings, and plenty of porches. You truly must see this one of a kind home in person to fully appreciate. THE POST- SEARCHLIGHT 43

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The Intili Home Henry Intili had dreamed of building his own home since his father built their childhood home. Decades later, he and wife, Barbara followed his dream.

veryone has dreams and aspirations from an early age. Some people give up on them, some accomplish them at that early age, while others are able to follow through much later in life. In his book “How We Built Our Home From Sawmill to Finish”, Henry Intili describes how his father, a self-employed electrician who worked for the mob, built his childhood New Jersey home. “I always envied his accomplishment, and I always wanted to build my own house,” Intili wrote. Decades later, he, along with his wife Barbara, would realize that dream, building their own barn-style house in Bainbridge. Henry and Barbara met in Atlanta, with the couple moving down to Bainbridge, Barbara’s childhood hometown, in 2002. At the time, the couple weren’t making enough money to retire, so they simply began stockpiling lumber, including pine,

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cherry and oak. This wood would be cut with a portable sawmill and the help of a local man, before being left out to dry for years. With that done, the couple still lacked the capability to retire. “We had to go back to Atlanta to work for five years to make enough money to really retire,” Henry said. “We really retired in 2013, and that’s when we started to build the house.” The two had qualifications to do it themselves; Barbara had grown up working with tools on farm equipment, had been a maintenance mechanic at Marriott, and had briefly studied interior design and construction management in Atlanta, while Henry had his family history with electrical and construction. The two lived in the old original house on the property as they built theirs, doing the frame, sheathing, siding, windows, electrical and plumbing all themselves. 46 PROFILE

“But then we kind of ran up against a wall with doing the insulation, because we thought that was a bridge too far for us,” Henry said. They sought out the help from Tallahassee with the installation, as well as professional help with the sheetrock, roof and HVAC. When it came to designing the house, they specifically designed the interior to be spacious, the roof to have a barn shape, and gave it a large porch as well. “And of course we wanted, this is a Southern house, so we wanted a big porch, a wrap-around porch, and we built the porch ourselves,” Henry said. “There’s not much to building a porch, just endless repetition of wood.” The house plumbing was also designed to keep the waterworks contained. “We had lived in Atlanta for enough years to know that you want to keep

all your water functions on the inside of the house, so the bathrooms are pretty much stacked,” he explained. Barbara did much of the plumbing. “With Henry’s help,” she said. “One person by themselves can’t plumb a house. You have to have a helper.” With the main structure built and the internal workings squared away, there was also the matter of decoration. Pictures of the Intili’s travels adorn the walls, as do original paintings by John Bayides and Betty Davis, as well as wood carvings made by Henry himself. All in all, the couple were finally able to move into the house in 2017. The couple gave parting advice for anyone considering building their own house. Both suggested patience. “Patience, and become friends with the building inspector and do what he tells you, because it saved our butt during Hurricane

Michael,” Henry said. “What I think is helpful,” Barbara added, “is when you have a house design, when you have a floor plan, put it out on a table where you can see it every day, and look at how the rooms flow, and think about how you would be doing whatever it is you’re doing now in that house. By living in the floor plan, before it’s built.”

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