Chad Dougherty
Chad Dougherty is one of the hardest working people I know. He’s probably one of the few people I know with more projects than me! Add to that his friendly and positive nature and you’ve got one of the best neighbors you could ask for. I met Chad shortly after I moved onto the block. I think I was loading up my surfboard and he stopped to introduce himself and chat about surfing. I remember him joking that he hoped I didn’t move to Fernandina for the surf.
Chad was born in Utah. His Dad is from Utah and his Mom is a Fernandina native. He grew up spending half his early life in Utah and half in Fernandina. His Dad was self employed and moved around for work. Whoever won the discussion between his parents at the moment was where they ended up living for the time being. A lifestyle that many parents these days would find challenging, Chad has embraced the uniqueness of it and enjoys having two great sets of friends in different locations.
He learned to surf while he was attending Fernandina Beach Middle School. That passion for the water was what kept him coming back. After spending the first two years at Fernandina Beach High School where he became friends with his future spouse Katy Akins, he returned to Utah and graduated from Park City High School. After high school he came back to Fernandina to live with his Granny, Miss Jean, and start college. By the end of the summer the draw for the mountains and snow sent him back to Park City where he tuned skis at night, and skied and snowboarded during the day. And so the story goes on, with the wandering spirit of a twenty something year old, Chad ended up in Carlsbad California on a whim with no money and no place to stay and then in Hawaii for a short stint. After that it was back to Park City and time to take life more seriously. He worked full time at the ski shop, eventually managing and helping them expand.
This is when he reconnected with Katy from high school and eventually they got married. Katy is the heart and soul, and the driving force behind Tasty’s. Most of you know about Tasty’s, a homegrown staple of the downtown food scene on the corner of Centre and 8th Streets. Tasty’s was conceptualized from Katy’s twenty plus years of experience working in the food service industry. By the time they had moved to Fernandina with two kids in 2004 she wanted something more in her career. When the property downtown became available they decided to combine that with the concept of the old Freezette, a hugely popular small burger joint that Chad’s Granny Jean had owned and operated off South 8th street in the 60’s. Chad worked days as a general contractor and nights building Tasty’s. Katy worked her magic to get Tasty’s off the ground and running. They expanding to three more locations, two in Yulee and one in Kingsland. It quickly became one of my favorite places to eat, even before I officially moved here.
When the Dougherty family moved to Fernandina in 2004, Chad had left the ski industry to become a general contractor and hasn’t stopped since. Initially his intent was to build spec houses, but when the bottom began to fall out of the housing market in 2007, that plan was scrapped. He worked commercial construction, traveling and building for companies like Calvin Klein, then turning that focus to local businesses. His most notable commercial builds on the Island are Mocama, The Chandlery Building, Lindy’s, Burlingame, The Patio at 5th and Ash, Summer House Office, and Atlantic Hair Studio.
Chad is mostly working on residential properties these days. Being able to offer creative input and connecting with owners is an important part of what he likes about the residential GC business. Taking the owners ideas and turning them into something concrete with the help of his experience, knowledge, and insight, has been very rewarding. Fifteen years later he is blessed to have a lot of good people that he has worked for and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
If it sounds like a lot of work for one couple, it is. They are both in stressful jobs. Chad says that without having an unspoken understanding and appreciation for each other, achieving a balance isn’t really possible. You have to remember on a daily basis that you both have hopes and dreams and you can run over them with your own ambitions. Chad and Katy have a special relationship that works because they really appreciate each other. They decided one day that they could either lift each other up, or tear each other down. They chose to lift each other up. He says he wouldn’t be where he is today, and accomplished all he has, without Katy.
It also takes a lot of energy! The running joke at the Dougherty house, (and ours too) is that Chad is out for another walk. He walks multiple times a day if he can. A process that started after he sustained a major injury crushing his orbital socket which just missed damaging his eye and brain. I remember the commotion on the block from that day, and seeing Chad return 4 days later with a bandage wrapped around his head as he gingerly walked up and down the block. The urge to walk suddenly came out of nowhere in the hospital after he woke up from surgery. He walked the ICU floor for four days to keep his mind occupied and fresh, and he has kept it going to this day.
Chad and Katy have built their success thru hard work and perseverance. More importantly, they value the community, their family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors.