With more than 45 years as purveyors serving hunting and sporting enthusiasts, Kevin and Kathleen Kelly take immense pride in sharing the lifestyle they have long endeavored to cultivate in this region.
Whether you live in this part of the country or are just visiting, there is something so very special about the Red Hills Region. No matter if you are a lifelong hunter or new to the sport, it is something you can just feel.
That surge of pride for the land and what grows here.
The lift in your spirit when you see a covey rise of quail.
The smile that forms on your lips when you pass a plantation doing a controlled burn.
This is the lifestyle of the region and one that Kevin & Kathleen Kelly embody in all they do.
Passion for the Lifestyle
What started as a general sporting goods store – selling guns and gear to avid outdoorsmen – has grown into something of an empire for the Kelly family. Kevin always had a passion for hunting and fishing and wanted to provide the best gear for his customers.
He knows them.
He is them.
They share the same values.
Longtime friend and prominent land broker, Jon Kohler, is one of those very customers who shares these values and appreciates the way in which the Kellys embody this lifestyle. Jon says, “People don’t really realize that quail hunting is synonymous with a lifestyle, land management, habitat management, habitat improvement all year. From landowners to plantation managers, and guests – there are so many people with a vested interest in sustaining and supporting this lifestyle. Kevin and Kathleen get that.”
The Goods
What started as a Tallahassee outpost has since grown to include their flagship location in downtown Thomasville and a wildly successful catalog and on-line business, spearheaded by Kevin’s wife, Kathleen. They still offer the finest hunting clothes and equipment but expanded their offerings to encompass the whole lifestyle that this region embraces.
Just off the bricks of Thomasville’s Broad Street, step inside the store to find sumptuous table settings and home décor that give a nod to all things quail and the outdoor life here. From placemats to candlesticks, linens and flatware, Spode dinnerware and metal serving pieces emblazoned with hallmarks of the Hills – your affection for the region no longer has to be contained to brush pants and waxed jackets. Kathleen shares, “We have Italian handbags and footwear, a hatmaker in Austria, vendors in Poland, Spain, Canada, Central America – all over the world.”
These additions are a marked evolution of the gear that the store originally sold, more than four decades ago. Kevin Kelly remembers Jon coming into the store when he was just a boy of about six or seven years old. They’ve had a bond ever since. Jon laughs as he recalls those childhood visits to the store with his mother, “I learned pretty quickly that if there was something I wanted, I’d be smart to let Kevin do all the talking. I was astute enough to know that when Kevin’s around, just shut up and let him do the talking. That was my first memory of Kevin: if I can just get him in the area, he’ll talk my mom into buying stuff.”
The nature of that “stuff” that Kevin’s sells in their stores and catalog has come a long way since the days of simply being field shirts and brush pants. Kevin’s upstairs gun room boasts an impressive collection of highly sought-after firearms, including Kevin’s own line of guns that are hand-crafted in Italy, to his specifications. Wildlife art and antique European mounts adorn the walls while a just-for-friends bar and rich leather sofas complete the space. Downstairs, Kathleen’s deft hand can be seen in the rich textiles and fabrics she selects for customers. She says, “We travel the world looking for the best-quality unique things to offer our customers. We go to New York, Atlanta, Chicago, London, Italy – you name it.” The items that make the cut at Kevin’s must be of excellent quality — to stand up to the lifestyle in this region — while still being stylish and ready for any adventure.
“Kevin Kelly understands that the soul of this region is the Bob White quail. That there is an immense community that surrounds all aspects – from the landowners to plantation managers to dog trainers – Kevin’s serves them all.” – Jon Kohler
Beyond the Goods
Beyond developing a brand that resonates with customers embracing the sporting lifestyle, Kevin and Kathleen – like Jon & Erica Kohler – recognize the year-round hard work that goes into keeping this way of life alive here. Both the Kellys and Kohlers are big supporters of Tall Timbers whose sole mission is “to foster exemplary land stewardship through research, conservation and education.” Both families are but two that recognize the invaluable work this non-profit organization does in preserving the heritage of this region. At Kevin’s Annual Game Fair each fall, Tall Timbers has the opportunity to share their mission with guests who come from all over the country. Kathleen shares, “We have customers come from places outside the region – South Carolina, Texas, California – to experience what we do here. And it is no coincidence that Tall Timbers Research is doing important land conservation work in many of these places as well. It is a beautiful relationship and one we are very proud of.” Last year alone, the game fair raised more than $70,000 and, to date the event has raised more than $400,000 to preserve the Bob White quail woods.
Each year, John Kohler & Associates sponsors the annual Quail Bash party the night before the game fair. This is an epic fête that features a robust bar, hors d’oevres with plenty of local game ingredients, and a spectacular auction led by Thomasville’s own, Charlie Whitney (another customer, often featured in the Kevin’s Catalog.) It is fun to look around the room, at all the guests, and seeing many of them outfitted by Kevin’s; everyone present wants to possess a piece of this lifestyle that is synonymous with this region. Jon notes, “Erica and I both look forward to the party – it is an opportunity to connect with like-minded friends, meet new ones, and celebrate the opening of the quail season. I know firsthand the year-round work that goes into making this such a special place. No matter the size of the region, we are a community of folks, devoted to this lifestyle. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“One of the things that separates the Red Hills, of North Florida and SW Georgia, is the passion of the people. Kevin notes, “While we are a family business – not some hobby – we recognize that to be successful, you have to be an innovator and a leader in this space. We are doing that.” He goes on to attribute much of their success to the very fact that they live right here and this a lifestyle they embrace themselves, in all they do: “we see changes in the marketplace because we are living it, day in and day out.”
For more information on Kevin’s visit, www.kevinscatalog.com
Bruce Ratliff is a retired elected official (Property Appraiser Taylor County). Bruce brings years of experience in ad valorem tax knowledge. His property tax background gives JKA Associates & clients a unique insight into the complicated tax process. Bruce held several positions in the Florida Association of Property Appraisers, including member of the Board of Directors, President, Vice-President and Secretary, and served on the Agricultural & Legislative Committees for the Association. The real estate business has been part of Bruce’s life since childhood. His mother, Shirley Ratliff owned Professional Realty of Perry, Florida and his father, Buster owned Ratliff Land Surveying which Bruce was General Manager of before his political career.
From murky farm ponds to pristine glacier-cut lakes and everything in between, Knox Daniels’ expertise stems from a lifelong fascination of water and the creatures that live in and around it. He recognizes and helps clients appreciate the value water features bring to a property. “My goal is to help buyers realize and sellers maximize the value different water bodies bring to a property, not only in a recreational sense, but also for social storm reasons.” After extensively traveling the country for collegiate BASS fishing tournaments, Knox graduated and worked for the Southeast’s finest fisheries and wildlife biologist, Greg Grimes. With Grimes’ company, AES, Knox managed many of the southeast’s finest private lake estate/impoundment properties, and learned the intricacies of upscale property management. Learning from Greg and other biologists, Knox honed in on the specific conditions and habitat needed for optimal gamefish growth in private lakes. He has also worked as a property manager on several thousand acres and for a commercial developer, facilitating the dirt work and builds of several apartment complexes, but his true passion has always been in the outdoors. “I’ve always had an insatiable fascination with ponds/lakes and am grateful to be able to help to place clients on the properties of their dreams and make their personal fisheries/wildlife goals reality with JKA.” – Knox Daniels
As a landowner of his own family farm, Lick Skillet, along with family land that has been passed down and enjoyed together at Keaton Beach for 40 years, Jon knows what it means to be a steward of the last best places. As a third-generation land broker with more than 30 years of experience in advising landowners in this niche, Jon is known for his innate ability to harvest a land’s unique intrinsic value. Touting several notable sales under his belt, Jon personally closed Rock Creek/Molpus – 124,000 acres of premium timberland at $142,000,000 – which was known as the largest timberland land sale in the Southeast for eight years running. He is a co-founding member of LandLeader and achieved the real estate industry’s highest honor, “2022 National Broker of the Year – Recreational Land Sales,” by the Realtors® Land Institute.
Prior to joining Jon Kohler & Associates, Walter Hatchett served for 30 years as a land manager to several of the south’s most esteemed properties, including Rock Creek. As a former property manager himself, and a consistently ranked “Top Sales Producer” nationwide and achieved “APEX Top 20 Land Broker” multiple times, Walter has a keen eye for the best in habitat management.
With Madison County roots, Lori grew up on her family farm at Pettis Springs along the historic Aucilla River. A love of the land was instilled in Lori very early on by her father who was a local farmer. Lori understands the importance of good land stewardship and has witnessed first-hand how her own father, a former 2-term member of the Florida House of Representatives whose district encompassed many rural counties of the Red Hills Plantation Region, with a little bit of sweat equity, so lovingly worked their own family land. These are core values she carries with her today, and nothing gives her more personal satisfaction than to represent some of the south’s best land stewards.
Hailing from a long line of outdoorsmen, Tim learned a great deal from his father and grandfather. He saw first-hand what it means to be a good land steward. He believes land is so much more than a place to hunt, fish, and grow timber or crops. “It’s an identity, a resting place, a safe haven and a way of life, said Tim.” Tim’s family ties to Alabama run deep. During his grandfather’s first term, Governor James was responsible for signing into law Alabama’s first state duck stamp which helped to ensure funding for the procurement, development, and preservation of wetlands for migratory waterfowl habitat. He also established Alabama’s lifetime hunting license, so it is no surprise that Tim is an avid outdoorsman with a keen eye as to how best to improve habitat for the greater good of its wildlife.
Jason has been assisting landowners for the last 28 years in Georgia and South Carolina obtain achievements the owners did not realize were possible. His degree in Biology from Georgia Southern stemmed from the desire to know how things in nature work. His plantation roots began at just 16 years old outside of Albany, GA and the last 20 years were spent in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. His entire career has been spent developing a global approach to plantation management. That plan included sales. Sales is in Jason’s blood- his mom had a 45-year career as a real estate broker. After college, he chose to pursue his passion of making properties great. In 2011, Jason sold his first plantation. Since then, he has assisted buyers and sellers with over $20 million in sales while most of that time working as a full-time General Manager of a large Lowcountry plantation. Today, he is committed to using his unique skill set and experience to guide landowners through the many challenges of plantation ownership.