By Ed Offley After two years of construction, the Duplin Winery is open for business on its 70-acre site at 10101 Panama City Beach Parkway. Located on the former grounds of the Hombre Golf Club, the 35,000-square-foot winery complex is presenting itself as both a significant PCB employer and a major family entertainment destination for tourists and residents alike, General Manager Morgan Jackson told PCB Life. “We’re very much a family-oriented business,” Jackson said. “We wanted to find a place that fits our lifestyle and felt that we could make a positive impact here.” In searching for a new location, company officials were immediately attracted to the “coastal casual” atmosphere of Panama City Beach, she said. “We are blessed and honored to welcome Florida into our Duplin Family,” said Jonathan Fussell, co-owner along with his brother, Dave Fussell Jr. The winery specializes in sweet wines made from the muscadine grape. The company both grows its own grapes in North Carolina and buys grapes from over 60 grape farming families in five southern states. The company plans to plant an additional 100 acres of grapes in the Florida Panhandle. Like its predecessors, the new PCB facility is far more than a bottling and retail sales outlet. “Over these years, experience has helped us learn how to become more than just a winery. We’ve learned how to create a true entertainment destination,” Jonathan Fussell said. “It’s a place where people enjoy hanging out, can be comfortable bringing friends and family, and... Read More

  It’s been a busy summer on the world’s most beautiful beaches, and Panama City Beach is being made more beautiful by two City initiatives. The first is our SeeLife 2 project, which placed 10 brightly-colored sculptures throughout our community this summer. This is an ongoing project, with a total now of 21 dolphins, sea turtles, and sea horses located on both public City properties and at private businesses and entities. We are honored to share the talents of these local artists, who merged creativity and skill in bringing these unique pieces to life. They are truly one-of-a-kind. We love the SeeLife program and want it to continue. More SeeLife pieces will be available in the future. This project is the fulfillment of something our residents wanted. Several years ago, our strategic planning process and citizen survey identified the community’s desire for public art. These artistic pieces enhance and beautify our public spaces and contribute to a more attractive community while encouraging both an appreciation and a love of art. Art has many benefits to a community by encouraging community engagement, demonstrating pride, and solidifying our community identity and brand through the placement of this fun art. This is just a win-win — showcasing great talent for the enjoyment of everyone. The SeeLife project would not be possible without our donors. This latest round of art was funded exclusively by Visit Panama City Beach. Dr. Ronald and JoAnn Dubin Family Foundation, the St. Joe Community Foundation, and the City funded... Read More

  By Mike Horne, Mike’s Auto Collison Get recommendations Check with friends and neighbors and family. Almost everyone has had a car repaired for body work. Your insurance company might also be a good place to start as they conduct background checks on local shops. Who you choose is your choice Although the insurance company may have it’s own “Direct Repair Program“ or preferred partners that can expedite the process, you can take your vehicle to the center of your choice. Ask questions Don’t be afraid to ask questions. You are entitled to as much information as you want before agreeing to use a body shop. Find a manufacturer-certified shop This may sound simple, but you need to know your car’s make, model and year when contacting a repair center. You want a shop that is certified to work on that specific vehicle, with the correct training, equipment and parts. For example, not all shops can fix a Porsche, because Porsche will only sell OEM parts to a Porsche-Certified shop. Always get an estimate in writing Any estimate should be in writing and free of charge. Ask the estimator to explain if you have questions. The shop should also examine the car indoors or in the shade away from direct sunlight to avoid missing any areas that might need repair. Look for technician certifications These certifications are costly and time-consuming to receive. Some industry certifications to look for include I-Car and ASE. Both are impressive and show the shop’s investment... Read More

  Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida agents were thrilled to participate both in fundraising and in volunteer hours to the second Habitat for Humanity of Bay County home sponsored by the Central Panhandle Association of Realtors (CPAR). CPAR raised over $118,000 in funds to help build the home and is proud to continue their partnership with the organization to provide affordable housing for a local family in need. Making this project even more special, the CPAR home donations were made in honor of REALTOR® Eileen Shaw. A longtime Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices of Beach Properties of Florida sales agent, Eileen passed away in 2022 and was instrumental in bringing the first CPAR home to fruition. “We are honored to support Habitat for Humanity of Bay County in their mission to build homes and communities,” said Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida Vice President of Broker Operations and 2023 CPAR President, Jennifer Ledesma. “Our members are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of our neighbors, and we are thrilled to be a part of this project. It makes it even more special to do it in remembrance of our dear Eileen Shaw.” In addition to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida, top-level sponsors of the build included Remsco Inc., Econo Carpet Sales, Inc., Think Real Estate, New American Funding, Peoples First Insurance, Clear Title & Escrow, and Simply Granite. Habitat for Humanity of Bay County Florida, Inc. is an ecumenical Christian organization that welcomes volunteers from... Read More

  By Spencer Angland, Marketing Coordinator, Flooring Depot of Panama City When trying to find the right flooring for your home, there are a lot of factors to consider. What color or style do you want? How important is the durability of your floors? How often do you want to replace your floors? There are so many different types of flooring out there that finding the perfect floors that fit all your needs can be overwhelming. One option that stands the test of time for both beauty and durability is tile. Tile can be made of a variety of materials, including porcelain, ceramic, natural stone, and glass to name a few. It also comes in a wide variety of colors, patterns, materials, and styles. You can let your personality come alive with tile. You can choose a more subdued design or pattern for elegance or choose something fun, colorful and vibrant that gives your space an element of design and style. The sky is the limit. Tile is extremely durable too. It’s great for Florida because it’s water and sand resistant and cleanups are much easier than other products. Plus, if you take care of it, it will look brand new for years to come. Due to its durability, tile can be used just as effectively outside as it is inside. If you are remodeling a pool deck or patio, tile is worth your consideration. One of our most popular manufacturers of tile is Florida Tile. Florida Tile is a... Read More

  By Sean Dietrich The hotel pool. The sun is high. All the hotel guests’ children are wearing bathing suits, excitedly scurrying into the pool so they can pee in it. I travel for a living and stay in lots of hotels. In my short time on this planet, I’ve learned a few things about kids in hotels. One: Never get into the pool. Two: when it’s approaching midnight, children will collectively hold a decathlon in the hallways above your room. Three: regardless of which is your room, in the middle of the night, gaggles of kids will hold a laughing contest outside your door. Four: Every apple on the breakfast buffet has been fondled by a 5-year-old with a runny nose. Anyway, the pool. There were two boys at the swimming pool who caught my attention. One of them was named Ben. I know this because Ben’s little brother kept shouting it. It was always “BEN!” this. And “BEN!” that. The little brother was missing both arms at the elbow joint. And one of his legs was impaired, too. When they arrived at the pool, Ben removed his little brother’s prosthetics and left the paraphernalia with their towels. Then he helped his tiny brother into the pool. “I’m scared, Ben!” said the boy. “Don’t worry,” said Ben. “I’ve got you.” Ben had his arms wrapped around the little boy, bear hugging him from behind. He was carrying him. When they eased into the water, Ben was still embracing his... Read More

  Panama City Beach Fishing Rodeo Sept. 22-Oct. 8 We are excited to bring to you the PCB Fishing Rodeo. This tournament is a 3 weekend, 17-day event with 2 weigh inns daily from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 4 – 7 p.m. from Sep 22nd – Oct 8th, 2023. This year will include 11 species of fish and 7 divisions with species tailored for each division. The PCB Fishing Rodeo allows, and encourages a variety of anglers to participate. Whether you’re fishing from the shore, on a kayak, paddleboard, personal boat, or you and your family decide to charter one of the many Federal and State boats registered in this tournament, we made sure to keep you in mind. There will be daily entertainment with great food. Patches Food Truck, That’s what Cheese Said, and Gelato Love will be our onsite food sponsors. Legendary marine will have a few of their awesome boats on display, and Florida Water Sports will be displaying multiple different types of tackle and gear. Come out to Capt. Anderson’s Marina located at 5550 N Lagoon Drive Panama City Beach, FL 32408 from September 22, 2022 – October 8, 2023 and be a part of the 3rd annual PCB Fishing Rodeo. Visit pcbfishingrodeo.com. Pirates of the High Seas & Renaissance Fest October 6-8 Calling all ye mateys, fair maidens and swashbucklers of all ages to Panama City Beach for the annual Pirates of the High Seas & Renaissance Fest. This year’s free celebration sets... Read More

  A Panama City Beach Chamber Introduction Many women have experienced some sort of gender inequality in their lifetime. This gender inequality comes in many forms – sexual harassment, making less money than their male peers, seeing less qualified male candidates chosen over them for promotion or high-level jobs, or even being encouraged to stick to careers deemed more stereotypically female. To top it all off, women are still fighting an uphill battle against what society deems to be conventional gender roles at home including being the primary caregiver of their children, cooking, cleaning, and more. All these things considered, it can be very alienating to be a woman. Luckily, a woman’s single greatest resource is another woman. In answer to these concerns, Fempowerment was founded. It is an organization dedicated to the empowerment of women. The mission is simple – promote the growth, development, and support of women by women. By utilizing a combination of meaningful collaboration, open communication, and genuine connection, Fempowerment strives to make a positive impact on every woman they reach. The founders, Aubrey Haskell, Beth Klein, and Brittany Tucker were colleagues and friends before the universe set into motion a chain of events that would bring the three together in business. Individually they had been getting feedback from other women about difficulties they were trying to overcome with little to no support and understanding from the men in their lives These women were expressing frustrations about workplace inequalities, having difficulties finding a work-life balance, and... Read More

Morgan Wallen shocked his fans over the weekend when he took the stage with a shaved head, but didn’t waste any time explaining his new look. Country Music Nation  Read More