What is your hometown, what brought you to the Emerald 

Coast and how long have you been here?  

I grew up in Cleveland where I began work at a young age in the 

restaurant business. After graduations from Ohio University and 

earning a Masters from FIU in Miami, I began my career at the 

Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, DC. From there, I worked 

my way to Detroit and found myself operating 3 large Italian 

restaurants. I was approached by a fi rm working for Jim Altamura 

with Marina Café, Destin Chops, and Borago in this little fi shing 

village called Destin. After a few years in Detroit, needless to say, 

the sand and sun of Florida was warmly appealing. I have called 

Destin home for 20 years now! 

What is your profession and give a brief description of 

what you do.

Marketing. Management. Business Development. Basically I help 

sell fun!  
Since my arrival in Destin, I have worked closely with 11 different 

Emerald Coast restaurants, a plethora of retail and resort properties 

focused on experiential destination vacationing; directed night 

clubs and entertainment venues; and developed an apparel 

company with seven locations in three states.  
Today I am blessed to be able to work with some of the best 

executives and owners in the restaurant, retail, entertainment, and 

hospitality industry. In 2011, I accepted the position of General 

Manager for HarborWalk Village, where I currently spend the 

majority of my time. Additionally, I am a consultant for both the 

Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park and Great Southern Restaurant 

Group. Through my consulting work, I am able to provide skilled 

and practical guidance as a project leader, operational director, 

leasing and property manager, digital marketer, website & SEO 

expert and business development coach.  www.Hall.consulting

What led you to choose this profession?

I truly enjoy helping others realize their business dreams. I love the 

challenge of development and consulting engagements to fi ll a gap, 

turn a company around, or take the company to the next level. 

What do you like best about Destin and what makes it 

unique?

Its growth, natural beauty, and charm. Even after 20 years here I 

feel privileged every day to have put my roots in Destin. I love that I 

can raise my daughter in such a unique and wonderful town.  

Give us three words that best describe you. 

Driven, Versatile, Dad

I AM DESTIN because…

 

 

Over the past 20 years I have been immersed in the growth of 

Destin as a guy behind the scenes, driving the engine to help grow 

many Destin businesses. Shortly after the BP oil spill hit in 2010, 

my partner and I were called on by the FRLA in conjunction with 

the area TDCs to produce the national ad campaigns that told the 

country loudly that our beaches were open! I remember sitting at 

the computer designing the ads late into the night, never feeling 

more passionate about Destin and our surrounding communities. 

Within a couple days we were running full page ads in the Wall 

Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today to thwart the 

damage area businesses took from the national media. I still feel this 

passion about our area and the image we share with our current and 

potential guests.

I AM DESTIN

John 

Hall

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