Ten years later: Business landscape has shifted in Destin

Through sunshine and storms, real estate booms and blunders, Destin has more resilience than many cities twice its size, according to local business owners who have been through it all and have come out on top in the last decade.

In 1989, two brothers, John and Andy Vallianatos, along with their sister, Betty, opened Beachzone off Highway 98 in Destin. The Vallianatos family has not only seen and benefitted from the expansion of Destin’s tourist industry, but have also proved that hard work and strategic adaptability pay off.  

Since then, they opened a second Beachzone in Miramar Beach, and have also delved into other purchases such as the Executive Car Wash, Miramar Commons, Copper Grill and Bluz.

Due to recessionary times, Beachzone has seen a 30 percent decrease in sales since 2000, which parallels other retail outlets in the community. This is due primarily to a decrease in consumer spending habits, increased competition in the local retail sector, and a devaluation of homes and 401K plans, which took a toll on consumer spending as a whole.

 “Our father says, ‘If you are working hard, and you’re not getting anywhere, then you need to work harder’ and we live by that motto,” said John Vallianatos. “People work harder now than they ever have in the last 10 years, and business owners are also working as hard as they can to survive now more than ever before.”

Lane Rees, 2000-2004 Walton County Commissioner and owner of Human Resource Solutions since 1998, recaps the last 10 years as a rapid growth in healthcare, education, transportation and business.

“I remember when I started my business in 1998; these vital essentials to a community were scarce,” Rees said.

“Now, we have major hospitals, universities and better air transportation which has opened many doors for me and other business owners in Okaloosa and Walton County.”

During the last two years, Rees focused his HR efforts toward industries that were still thriving during a down economy such as utility companies and government operations.

“We now look beyond just Destin and see the geographical unity which is necessary for the entire Northwest Florida region,” said Rees. “We have increased our staff to include individuals with unique skill sets which can identify with all types of business needs, offering workshops and seminars to educate companies on the importance of structure, good management, and customer service.”

Most importantly, Rees said that in order to survive through tough times, a business must be creative, flexible, proactive, responsive and willing to listen to the needs of consumers today.

Peter Bos, CEO of Legendary, Inc., maintains that Destin has matured enough over the last 10 years to sustain year round retail, golf, dining, boating and entertainment amenities. The change is due primarily to the expansion of air and roadway transportation, retail epicenters such as Destin Commons and HarborWalk, and mobile technologies, which now allow business travelers and vacationing families to stay for longer periods of time.

“Our success incorporates several factors from the building of the Mid-Bay Bridge, which connected us to our northern communities, to the creation of a harbor infrastructure that allows visitors and residents to take advantage of the man-made and God-given amenities,” Bos said. “Despite marine sales being down in the state of Florida, Legendary Marine reports more positive sales than any other in the state. We are now selling inventory both nationally and internationally and our service department is breaking every record in the company.”

The Panama City airport will mark an expansion, which this area has not yet seen, according to Bos. There is great anticipation for the future of Destin as air transportation, education, healthcare, hoteliers, and businesses prepare for the next ten years of growth.

According to Mayor Craig Barker, the business landscape has changed significantly over the past decade with a major shift toward tourism.

As with Rees, Mayor Barker agrees that the sustainability of organizations remains in being able to work harder, being more creative, and being able to quickly respond to the rapidly changing needs of today’s savvy consumer.

“I remember a time when most of Destin’s businesses closed their doors from November to May because there were simply too few customers to maintain profitable operations throughout the year,” Barker said. “But, while many businesses today scale their workforce seasonally, there are few today who actually shut down for the winter. It is clear, and not surprising, that Destin’s business community has grown primarily to cater to the area’s visitors.”

Jessica Mansfield-Maraman is a freelance writer and president of Vivid Publicity & Marketing based in Destin.