Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - (Page 16) travel STOREFRONTS Keepin’ it Reel Anglers around the country cast a line for The Rod Room in Orange Beach, Alabama. Kathy Kruse realized her true calling in 2003 when she opened The Rod Room, her workshop as a custom rod designer and builder. story by KATHIE FARNELL photography by COURTLAND RICHARDS THE ROD ROOM 24022 Canal Rd., Bldg. B Orange Beach, Alabama 251-981-6508 www.rodroom.com ust a stone’s throw from the Gulf of Mexico, a little Orange Beach shop caters to the serious angler with unique custom-made fishing rods. The Rod Room, opened in 2003 by Kathy Kruse, features her painstakingly crafted creations along with tackle and supplies for anglers who plan on building their own rods. The little Alabama resort town has been a fishing mecca for years and Kathy, originally from Mobile, began her business career as a charter boat deckhand. During summers aboard the Rookie she gained firsthand knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of rod design, and during the off season she experimented with building better rods. During this time, Kathy began pondering a full-time career as a custom rod builder. In 2003, she took the plunge, opening her shop and warehouse on Canal Road, away from the Gulfside bustle. The shop is also Kathy’s workshop and design lab, stacked with the materials of her trade. She says the first step in developing a custom rod is to talk with the angler, getting information on everything from experience to preferred type of bait. Her success in reading her clients translates into commissions ranging up to $1000 for a rod. She spends eight to ten hours on each rod, and has a steady demand for her creations. “In fact, I’m four months behind right now,” she says. Kathy also does business on her website, which offers an online store, rod-building supplies, and technical support in addition to information about new products and fishing news, including tide tables. With a customer base of more than 1,700, she supplies shops as well as individual builders J 16 s o u t h e r n b re e z e . c o m http://www.rodroom.com http://southernbreeze.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue Editor's Letter Contributor Gumbo Seen & Heard Coastal Calendar Storefronts - Keepin' it Reel Sweet Dreams - Grand Hotel Art of Living - Marking Time Fixtures - A Fitting End Our Backyard - Reasonable Drought Make Yourself at Home - Light up Your Life The Southern Breeze Hot List Unexpected Destin-ation Visual Zydeco We're an American Band The Good Life From Halter Tops to Maternity Tops Reader Services Cheers - Lazy Libations Dish - Mississippi Yearning Chef's Table - Welcome to The Doll House Let's Eat - Sunrise Sensations Last Bite Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - (Page Cover) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - (Page IFC) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - (Page 1) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - (Page 2) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - (Page 3) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - (Page 4) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - (Page 5) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Editor's Letter (Page 6) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Editor's Letter (Page 7) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Contributor (Page 8) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Contributor (Page 9) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Gumbo (Page 10) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Gumbo (Page 11) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Seen & Heard (Page 12) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Seen & Heard (Page 13) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Coastal Calendar (Page 14) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Coastal Calendar (Page 15) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Storefronts - Keepin' it Reel (Page 16) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Storefronts - Keepin' it Reel (Page 17) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Sweet Dreams - Grand Hotel (Page 18) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Sweet Dreams - Grand Hotel (Page 19) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Art of Living - Marking Time (Page 20) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Art of Living - Marking Time (Page 21) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Fixtures - A Fitting End (Page 22) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Fixtures - A Fitting End (Page 23) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Our Backyard - Reasonable Drought (Page 24) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Our Backyard - Reasonable Drought (Page 25) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Make Yourself at Home - Light up Your Life (Page 26) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Make Yourself at Home - Light up Your Life (Page 27) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Make Yourself at Home - Light up Your Life (Page 28) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Make Yourself at Home - Light up Your Life (Page 29) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - The Southern Breeze Hot List (Page 30) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - The Southern Breeze Hot List (Page 31) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - The Southern Breeze Hot List (Page 32) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - The Southern Breeze Hot List (Page 33) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - The Southern Breeze Hot List (Page 34) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - The Southern Breeze Hot List (Page 35) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Unexpected Destin-ation (Page 36) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Unexpected Destin-ation (Page 37) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Unexpected Destin-ation (Page 38) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Unexpected Destin-ation (Page 39) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Unexpected Destin-ation (Page 40) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Unexpected Destin-ation (Page 41) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Unexpected Destin-ation (Page 42) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Unexpected Destin-ation (Page 43) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Visual Zydeco (Page 44) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Visual Zydeco (Page 45) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Visual Zydeco (Page 46) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Visual Zydeco (Page 47) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - We're an American Band (Page 48) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - We're an American Band (Page 49) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - We're an American Band (Page 50) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - We're an American Band (Page 51) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - The Good Life (Page 52) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - The Good Life (Page 53) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - The Good Life (Page 54) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - The Good Life (Page 55) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - The Good Life (Page 56) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - The Good Life (Page 57) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - From Halter Tops to Maternity Tops (Page 58) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - From Halter Tops to Maternity Tops (Page 59) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - From Halter Tops to Maternity Tops (Page 60) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - From Halter Tops to Maternity Tops (Page 61) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - From Halter Tops to Maternity Tops (Page 62) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - From Halter Tops to Maternity Tops (Page 63) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Reader Services (Page 64) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Reader Services (Page 65) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Cheers - Lazy Libations (Page 66) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Cheers - Lazy Libations (Page 67) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Dish - Mississippi Yearning (Page 68) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Dish - Mississippi Yearning (Page 69) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Chef's Table - Welcome to The Doll House (Page 70) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Chef's Table - Welcome to The Doll House (Page 71) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Let's Eat - Sunrise Sensations (Page 72) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Let's Eat - Sunrise Sensations (Page 73) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Let's Eat - Sunrise Sensations (Page 74) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Let's Eat - Sunrise Sensations (Page 75) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Let's Eat - Sunrise Sensations (Page 76) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Let's Eat - Sunrise Sensations (Page 77) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Let's Eat - Sunrise Sensations (Page 78) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Let's Eat - Sunrise Sensations (Page 79) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Last Bite (Page 80) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Last Bite (Page 81) Southern Breeze 2008 Spring Issue - Last Bite (Page 82)
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