Take a hike

Discover towering batholiths, beautiful hidden waterfalls and everything in between

Feature article published in 101 Fun things to do in the Highland Lakes, Spring/Summer 2016

Roost in a treehouse & other quirky accommodations

Cabooses, safari cabins, yurts, and more: six unique spots to stay in the Highland Lakes

Feature article published in 101 Fun things to do in the Highland Lakes, Spring/Summer 2017

Rock of Ages

Highland Lakes geology dates back 1.4 billion years. With the precambrian rock of the Llano Uplift covering the region, you can learn about its natural history at several picturesque sites. (You might also run into a geologist or two.)

Feature article in 101 Fun Things To Do in the Highland Lakes Fall/Winter 2017.

See the sights on 2 wheels

Bike rental program opens up the cultural and colorful world of downtown Corpus Christi

Feature article published in 101 Fun things to do in Corpus Christi, Spring/Summer 2017

Baby sea turtles shining stars of summer by the sea

Kemp’s Ridley hatchlings at Padre Island National Seashore vital to keeping species alive

Feature article published in 101 Fun things to do in Corpus Christi, Spring/Summer 2017

Haunted Highland Lakes

Tales to give you goosebumps

Feature article published in 101 Fun things to do in the Highland Lakes, Fall/Winter 2016

PORT ARANSAS bouncing back from Harvey's devastation

Bustling beach town ready to welcome back Spring Breakers

Article in Corpus Christi Business News, March 2018, Volume 5 Issue 1

An Art Safari

Sculpture Ranch in Johnson City is a drive-through art experience

Feature in The Picayune

Spend a day at vast Balcones Canyonlands

Balcones Canyonlands is the epitome of Hill Country hiking. Visitors go over, around and across the rolling hills that give this region its name.

Feature in The Picayune, June 1, 2016

Swim in the glistening water at Blanco State Park

Stidham Outfitters and Custom Leather

Stidham Outfitters a tribute to Western heritage

Published at 101HighlandLakes.com

Order a beautiful handmade wallet from Stidham Outfitters and Custom Leather, made with love in the Hill County. Staff photo by JoAnna Kopp

The workshop at Stidham Outfitters and Custom Leather in Johnson City is filled with various lengths and scraps of leather, tools, and treasures from owner Seth Stidham's past as a roper in the rodeo. Staff photo by JoAnna Kopp

Leatherworking is a slow, intricate process that takes many tools and quite a bit of patience. Staff photo by JoAnna Kopp

Stidham Outfitters in Johnson City is a one-stop shop to fit the Hill Country lifestyle. Staff photo by JoAnna Kopp

Jasmin Arpin (right), along with Pearl, manages the day-to-day operations at Stidham Outfitters and Custom Leather in Johnson City, including merchandising and handling the books. Staff photo by JoAnna Kopp

For the retail side of Stidham Outfitters, Jasmin Arpin focuses on American-made goods from independent brands. Staff photo by JoAnna Kopp

In the heart of Johnson City is Stidham Outfitters and Custom Leather, a store ingrained in Western heritage. Stidham Outfitters pays homage to the Hill Country lifestyle by featuring handmade leather goods, rustic-yet-contemporary apparel, and charming homewares.

Seth Stidham, leatherworker and real-life cowboy, opened Stidham Outfitters with his partner-in-crime, Jasmin Arpin. 

Stidham got his start tooling leather when he had the opportunity to work for a saddle maker in Salado. After the saddle maker sold his company, Stidham stuck with the craft, which had become his passion.

“I look up to saddle makers,” Stidham said. “I have always liked high-end leather goods. The craft that went into it, the slow process of making it.”

Stidham draws each of his designs by hand and regularly retires designs from his work. For custom designs, he’ll add initials or a logo but not much more than that.

“We get a lot of people who come in and ask if I can replicate a design,” he said. “We’re not interested in that; we’re interested in originality.” 

Once Stidham gets to work on a project, he turns into a machine. With his cowboy hat pulled down and a toothpick between his teeth, all concept of time is lost until he is satisfied with his progress for the day.

The leather working process for an item such as a belt can take a full day of work, from drawing the design, carving it out, tooling, edging, and sewing. Stidham works in batches, though, so it is rare any one project is finished in a day. For custom orders, he asks for a four-to-six-week turnaround time.

Stidham excels at his art and craft. He can make nearly anything out of any type of leather: knife scabbards, wallets, belts, purses, pillows, rifle slings, gun holsters, catch-all trays, and so much more. While he typically works with leather supplied out of St. Louis, customers often bring in exotic hides such as ostrich, buffalo, hippo, and gator.

Stidham’s workshop has a hectic organization — the kind of system in which creative types thrive and foster. In there, you’ll find remnants of his past running rodeos, various lengths and scraps of leather, a craps board, at least four sewing machines, and every tool of which a craftsman can dream. While he works, he listens to a playlist that he describes as Western Americana: Ryan Bingham and Jamey Johnson with a bit of ZZ Top mixed in.

Arpin, meanwhile, represents the retail side of business. She handles the books, crunches the numbers, and does all the merchandising. She also does the purchasing for the clothes, shoes, accessories, home goods, and other items in the shop. She values quality more than anything and places a sharp focus on American-made items. She generally stays away from wholesale markets, where retailers can buy bulk, imported goods.

“I buy something that I would want, that I would use, that I would appreciate the craftsmanship or the detail in,” Arpin said. “As a result, we rarely go to market.”

Stidham Outfitters is very much lifestyle-based: It offers goods that fare well in the Hill Country. Here, you’ll find what you would wear to a wine-tasting one weekend and to the LBJ barbecue at the Texas White House the next.

“I keep it authentic,” Arpin said. “We serve wine on the weekend, and we have a complimentary bourbon bar in the men’s section.”

The couple moved to Johnson City in 2011. They originally hail from the Georgetown area. Growing up, it was still a rural, charming farming community. Today, it’s more like a suburb of Austin. Before they moved away, a shopping center with big-box retailers came to town, causing vacancies and turnovers in Georgetown’s historic square. The couple was looking for a change, and Arpin’s work with a real estate developer brought them to Johnson City.

“We both wanted to get back to our roots, in a way, and return to a small-town environment,” Arpin said. “The Hill Country is so enchanting. The first year we were here, we went through all my dog-eared Texas Monthly articles. We started exploring all the little towns. We found solace in day trips.”

The Johnson City community is important to Arpin and Stidham. They sponsor a little league team and donate to the volunteer fire department fish fry, the wild game dinner, the livestock show, and the Lions Club.

“I enjoy the people that we meet,” said Stidham, whose workshop is a revolving door for curious visitors. “Being in a small town is cool because every day I get people who come in and hang out, from police officers to ranchers. I love hearing all their stories and having the occasional craps game.”

Stidham Outfitters and Custom Leather is located at 201 E. Main St. in Johnson City. The store is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Call (830) 225-8181 or visit stidhamoutfitters.com for more information.

Pet a Jellyfish

Tentacles exhibit and two dolphins are the latest additions to an ever-expanding world-class Texas State Aquarium

Feature article in 101 Fun Things to do in Corpus Christi, Fall/Winter 2017

Once dark and dreary, downtown blooms into Marina Arts District

Terry Sweeney helps repaint downtown Corpus Christi as a better place to work, live and play

Feature story published in Corpus Christi Business News, August 2016, Volume 3 Issue 30

Terry Sweeney poses next to a hand-painted electrical box, part of a recent initiative that brought local artists out to beautify the streets of Corpus Christi. Photo by JoAnna Kopp

Second Chances Wildlife Rehabilitation spreads its wings

Thousands of rescued animals have been released into the wild by rehab unit

Published in Corpus Christi Business News, November 2016, Volume 3 Issue 3