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The Pratt brothers are avid outdoorsmen, so it seems only natural that their livelihoods re- volve around building amenities for people who love to be outside. Pergolas are their specialty, but the Pratts also design and build patios, driveways, re- taining walls, fire pits, and outdoor kitch - ens. Their company prides itself on making everything to their customers' wants, needs and specifications. The brothers, as co-owner Jason Pratt said, live by a simple motto: "Enjoy the earth from the backyard." And they seem to have done pretty well with their family-owned business — The Pratt Guys. Here is an indication of just how much their enterprise has grown. Since they opened in 2004, brothers Jason, 34, Derek, 32, and Adam, 25, have expanded by adding two showrooms, one outdoors and the other indoors. Each is 2,000 square feet in size. Construction of the showrooms began in 2013 and was finished in 2015. Total cost of these projects was $350,000. The Pratt Guys, based in Jacksonville, Fla., display mainly cus- tom pergolas, outdoor kitchens and concrete countertops in these spaces, along with some paver products. At the same time, Jason Pratt said his family comes from a typical middle class setting and was careful when it came to financing the show- room expansion. "We've been extremely picky about not ask- ing banks for money," he added. "We didn't think we would need the showrooms." But as it turned out, business has taken off since the Pratts added them. Jason runs the operations side of the enter- prise — he is called the "Authority" of the busi- ness — and also handles community relations Above: The Pratt Guys, Jacksonville, Fla., built this entire backyard hardscape project at a home in St. Augustine, Fla. The backyard of the home faces a part of the golf course of the St. John's Golf and Country Club. The job required 1,130 square feet of pavers, and 13 pallets of blocks. The Pratts used Keystone Retaining Wall Systems' Stonegate Country Manor blocks for the retaining wall, seating wall and kitchen. Munich Wall blocks were used for the fire pit. Tremron manufactured all of the hardscape products. Three brothers own and manage the business: Jason, 34; Derek, 32; and Adam, 25. The Pratt brothers have been designing and building hardscapes since 2004, and business has been so successful they have expanded with two showrooms. A Family Affair By Michael Miyamoto, LC/DBM 48 LC DBM (Continued on page 50) PHOTOS: THE PRATT GUYS