Hecho Corpus Christi Rob George

Welcome to Episode 23 of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s creators, makers, doers, and builders. On this episode, we visit with Robert Cooper, who recently returned from the Ukraine where he saw and recorded the Russian invasion up close and person with a group of freedom fighters. Robert is a Corpus guy, a member of the Cooper Outdoor family, responsible for many of our billboards and other signs in the area. I’ve debated whether call Robert a modern-day Hemingway, but I think the description is apt. When you visit with him, you get a sense of his wanderlust, but the most interesting part to me is his motivation for adventure. You’ll hear about that in this episode. He’s built houses here and businesses in Eastern Europe, played soccer for a semester at West Texas A&M in Canyon, Texas, and created and sold the Gold Fish, where we recorded. You may recall an earlier episode, with Jessica Gignac, also recorded at the Gold Fish. She and Robert are life and business partners, and the parents of a young son.

It’s hard to put yourself in the shoes of the frontline fighters in any war zone, but Robert has done that. You can find one of his and Will’s articles on the Daily Beast: https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-russia-ukraine-battle-in-kherson-that-had-us-filming-our-dying-words?ref=authorRobert has also started a fundraiser for the strike force he embedded with. Please donate, in the event you would like to help. https://www.spotfund.com/story/a8ad977c-5c53-4a54-837c-6b84e3be696e?SFID=L6H03b

Thank you, Robert, for coming on the show. Thank you to the Gold Fish for hosting another episode of HECHO Corpus Christi. Thank you to our infrastructure partners, Clint Tucker Homes and Sawyer Audiology. And thank you for taking time to listen!


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Welcome to Episode 22 of the Hecho Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi's creators, makers, doers, and builders. On this episode, we visit with Kimberly, Oscar, and Clint from Aadi Home Health & Hospice. Clint and I met a couple years ago at Brewster Street after church one Sunday. We met as parents of special needs kiddos are wont to do. The things that make us unique among the population at large, bring us together. Clint and his family moved down here after investing in Aadi, and have become part of the Aadi family, as evidenced by Kimberly's and Oscar's willingness to stay on under the new management to help Aadi grow into the future. As you'll hear in this episode, one of the special things Aadi was able to do during the lockdown and early stages of the pandemic was to help other agencies with supplies and other needs. Aadi's efforts are truly a reflection of the people who live here in Corpus and in the Coastal Bend. Aadi recently moved into a beautifully-restored office on Second Street on the edge of downtown behind First Methodist Church's community garden. You can find Aadi online at www.aadihomehalth.com, and should you or a loved one ever have a need, I'm sure that after this conversation, you'll call Aadi! Thank you for taking time to listen!


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Welcome to Episode 20 of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s creators, makers, doers, and builders. On this episode, we visit with Richard Lomax, the proprietor of the Water Street Market, which includes the Oyster Bar, the Executive Surf Club, the Sushi Room, the Texas Surf Museum, and now Elizabeth’s at the Art Museum. The Water Street Market is downtown’s gathering place, a city block of coffee shops (Lucy’s), casual food, sushi, oysters and fine seafood, and both The Bend magazine and Visit Corpus Christi. Richard and I were introduced by our mutual friend, Todd Hunter Jr. (thank you, Todd) and we sat down for a conversation before Elizabeth’s officially opened. Richard is the second generation of Lomaxes to run Water Street, and he walks us through his family’s Corpus story, including the growth of Water Street into the hub of downtown that it has become.

Second generation family business dynamics can be really tricky, but from all appearances, the Lomaxes have it figured out. The second generation has taken up the mantle and even expanded the original business. In fact, Richard’s brother Ben and Ben’s wife Lesley are the duo behind BUS, the Bar Under the Sun, in the old bus station downtown. Successful downtowns almost always have multi-generational businesses, and it’s exciting to see one here in Corpus.  You can follow the Water Street Market and its various business on Instagram @waterstreetmarketcc @waterstreetoysterbar @waterstreetsushiroom @executivesurfclub and @texassurfmuseum. You can find Elizabeth’s, which is now open for lunch in the Art Museum, @elizabeths_amst, and you can follow BUS @bus.corpuschristi. Thank you, Richard, for coming on the show, and Todd for the introduction. Thank you to our infrastructure partners, Clint Tucker Homes, Sawyer Audiology, and the Sound Guys. And thank you for taking time to listen!


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Welcome to Episode 20 of the HECHO Corpus Christi Podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s creators, makers, doers, and builders. On this episode, we visit with Johnny Philipelo, the President and CEO of Buc Days, the city-wide celebration that includes a rodeo, parades, a carnival, a debutante presentation, and other events. Johnny and I were introduced by a mutual friend, and we sat down for a conversation shortly after Buc Days made the exciting announcement that the Wings over South Texas airshow is now going to be a part of Buc Days! Johnny walks us through his Corpus story, including how he met his wife, Katia Uriarte, through Buc Days and mutton busting. Johnny also discusses the history and leadership of Buc Days and the tremendous effort it takes from hundreds of people to make it the super successful event that it is. We also learn what is at the heart of Buc Days – providing substantial scholarship and leadership opportunities for local students while giving Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend a celebration for the whole family. This year, Buc Days runs April 29 – May 9, 2021, with the Wings over South Texas show presented on May 1st and 2nd.

I always enjoy getting the behind the scenes look at festivals and celebrations, especially those like Buc Days, and Fiesta in San Antonio, because the scale of what it takes to make these events successful is massive. Johnny ably coordinates the volunteers, staff, and leadership to year after year create a better and more exciting Buc Days celebration. You can follow Buc Days on Instagram @bucdays or check them out online at bucdays.com. This year’s celebration is April 29 – May 9. Thank you, Johnny, for coming on the show. Thank you to our infrastructure partners, Clint Tucker Homes, Sawyer Audiology, and the Sound Guys. And thank you for taking time to listen!


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Welcome to episode 19 of the HECHO Corpus Christi podcast, the podcast featuring Corpus Christi’s creators, makers, doers, and builders. This episode is a first…it’s the first time I’ve interviewed multi people at the same time for an episode. We have the pleasure of hearing from Elena and Gerald Flores, a husband and wife duo whose ever-expanding side hustles celebrate their culture, and favorite food. Elena is the proprietress of Sew Bonita, where the self-taught seamstress designs and sews items that reflect her heritage and her desire to motivate passionate women to chase their dreams. Gerald is the creative behind Taco Gear, a leading brand celebrating all things tacos. They host the wonderfully entertaining and inspiring podcast Sew Taco, and Elena has pioneered the pop up market Loca for Local, which begins its spring virtual pop up online on March 3 with pickup on March 6th at House of Rock. Check it out at locaforlocal.com. Not to be outdone, Gerald created Taco Chair, a video series where he films persons of interest preparing and eating their favorite taco. Gerald and Elena’s exhortation to “just start” was my motivation to start this podcast a couple years ago, and it was a pleasure to finally get to sit down with them to hear their Corpus stories. A special thank you to Randi and Steven Carroll and Driftwood Coffee for letting us crash their store to record this episode.

Gerald and Elena are always creating new products, and even new brands. Since we recorded this episode, Gerald officially branded his video production company as Tuxedo Goose Films. They are a must follow, but I’ll be frank, trying to keep up with them can be exhausting because they are constantly evolving their brands and helping others do the same. Follow them on Instagram at

@sewtaco

@sewbonita

@tacogear

On the web at locaforlocal.com and find the Taco Chair on youtube by searching The Taco Chair or Taco Gear.

Thank you again to Driftwood Coffee for hosting us. Follow them @driftwoodcoffeeco and give episode 5 a listen to hear Driftwood’s story. Thank you Gerald and Elena for the great conversation! Thank you to our infrastructure partners SoundGuys, Sawyer Audiology, and Clint Tucker Homes. And thank you for taking time to listen!


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Welcome to Episode 18 of the Hecho Corpus Christi Podcast! Blake Snodgrass is a local digital marketing whiz and coach. He mastered the agency side of the business, including creating and deploying a $1,000,000 ClickFunnels marketing funnel, and recently launched a coaching practice to coach those interested in starting their own digital marketing agencies. Blake walks us through his journey from graphics designer at his church to coaching more than 800 individuals in his Automatic Agency program. As he says about his business, he's the bill that pays the bills. Visit automatic-agency.com to learn more! Thank you to our infrastructure partners The Sound Guys, Sawyer Audiology, and Clint Tucker Homes. And thank you for taking time to listen!


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