Photos by Modus Photography
Over a decade of experience working in the beach chair service industry inspired long-time Northwest Florida resident, Brad McDowell, to found Sunrise Chair Company — a premier manufacturer of quality, handmade beach chairs, tables and umbrellas based in Santa Rosa Beach. The company provides the classic chairs (both retail and wholesale), as well as completing custom orders for resorts, beach chair services and consumers across the United States.
Brad McDowell
“Working on the beach day in and day out provided a unique insight into what would make the most durable, comfortable and practical beach chair for guests to enjoy,” said McDowell.
“I saw a void in the available options for the beach service industry, and set out to learn all that I could about handcrafting custom beach furniture. Growing up in a family-run contracting business taught me the importance of quality work and customer service.”
Sunrise Chair Company products are crafted entirely from materials made in the U.S. and are hand-constructed locally by the company’s team of professionals who understand the importance of craftsmanship and the integrity of each piece. Only the most durable materials are used such as Georgia white oak (milled in the Southeast), rust-proof brass hardware and fade-resistant Sunbrella fabrics. Chairs and tables are dipped in polyurethane twice to provide additional protection from the harsh outdoor elements, and each product is inspected personally by McDowell to make sure that it complies with the highest standards of construction before delivery.
The company has already made a name for itself locally completing custom orders for established businesses including Southern Beach Group, 30A Gear, Sandestin Hilton, Stinky’s Fish Camp, Henderson Park Inn, Destin Health and Fitness, Boshamps Seafood and Oyster House, and Destin Boardwalk among others. Sunrise directly handles all custom applications including logo embroidery and color selection.
“We love supporting local businesses, but it makes it so easy when that business produces the highest quality product in their industry,” said Mike Ragsdale, founder of 30A.com and 30A Gear. “We are so proud to see our famous 30A logo on Sunrise Beach Company’s chairs.”
Miller Phillips, the owner of Destin’s Boshamps Seafood and Oyster House, echoed that praise.
“Being in the restaurant industry my entire life, I’ve never had such quality, fade-resistant and well-constructed umbrellas,” said Phillips. “Not to mention, Brad bent over backwards getting them to me as fast as he could, before our busy season picked up. They could easily be the best purchase I’ve made since opening Boshamps.”
As a family-owned company, Sunrise prides itself on offering a hands-on experience, where customers have direct access to McDowell to make sure all of their needs are fulfilled and orders exceed their expectations. Many of McDowell’s beach service workers also build and refurbish the chairs year-round, translating into products made by industry professionals with a first-hand knowledge of what makes the most durable and beautiful beach chair.
“Our team is made up of a close-knit group of hardworking area professionals who care about the products and understand the needs of our customers,” said McDowell. “At the end of the day, my goal is for anyone who purchases our chairs to take a piece of the beach with them wherever they are.”
