On Saturday, May 19, the Smith County Chamber of Commerce welcomed its newest member by hosting a Ribbon Cutting at the Grand Opening of Tennessee Kayak & Outdoor Company. Pictured with Chamber Director, Bill Woodard, is owner Brad Smith. Tennessee Kayak & Outdoor Company located at 510 Main Street North in Carthage offers van & trailer shuttle service for up to 14 per van and up to 28 per group for daily float trips on the Caney Fork and Cumberland Rivers. They offer kayak and canoe rentals for half and full days, as well as specialty trips in the area. Transport service is available if you own your own gear and just need shuttle service. Special rates for group outings such as church, civic and employee groups. A full line outdoor store, you will find camping, fishing and hiking gear such as backpacks, tents and camp stoves. They have all the snacks, food and drinks you might need for anything outdoors. They offer several styles of t-shirts and logo hats that are produced here in Smith County. They carry Xero brand outdoor footwear for men and women. Xero specializes in outdoor footwear- everything from sandals, hiking shoes and boots, running shoes and even men’s dress shoes. They are great for anyone who may be suffering from back, leg or foot pain. Tennessee Kayak & Outdoor Co. offers water shoes, coolers and so much more. They are also a Rhino propane tank dealer. Attending the Ribbon Cutting were Anthony Apple, Citizens Bank: Matt Watts, Karen Hackett, Smith County Bank; Donnie Dennis, Carthage Mayor, Scott Oliver, Citizens Bank; Brady Smith, Cate Smith, Linda Smith, Calvin Smith, Deneshia Smith Jackson, Lexi Jackson, Cole Jackson, Jamie Daley, Dustin Miller, Thom Ellis, Brad Smith, Tennessee Kayak & Outdoor Company; Bill Woodard, Smith County Chamber of Commerce, David Anderson, Gramps Travel; Bill Williamson, ProtectStor.
Originally from Red Boiling Springs, Brad moved to the Cookeville area after high school and graduated from Tennessee Tech University with a degree in Business Marketing. He always felt the desire to get back to that small-town life and the outdoors that he learned to love as a kid growing up on a farm, the son of a logger and being active in Boy Scouts. An avid and lifelong explorer of the outdoors, water activities and hiking are in his blood. In his youth, he was a lifeguard and a swimmer and paddler all over parts of Tennessee. After 20 years in the advertising sales business, he felt God was leading him to a different season in his life, one where he got back to his roots and would allow he and his children, Brady and Cate, to work together and be a positive influence on others. Being a lover of the rivers, lakes and trails in the area, he knew there were sections of the Caney Fork and Cumberland Rivers that very few leisure paddlers had ever been exposed to. Knowing Smith County, Carthage and Gordonsville, he felt led that they could see the coming growth and a need for more catered outdoor activities that would allow area residents and visitors to explore and learn more about the natural beauty of Smith County. With prayer, faith and an enormous amount of help from his family and friends, city and county officials and special friend and fellow hiker, paddler and Carthage resident, Jamie Daley, and her family – Tennessee Kayak and Outdoor Company was born.
For your next river trip, hike or any outdoor need you may have, give them a call at 615-735-7995. You can find them on Facebook and get more information on their website tnkayak.com. The Smith County Chamber of Commerce encourages visiting our local businesses. Keep more money in our local economy. Celebrate the uniqueness of our community. Support local jobs. Make Smith County a destination!
