BRB Barbara.com_2-2014_Indian River Mag:Layout 1 12/9/13
PEOPLE OF INTEREST
BRBARBARA.COM
an online affordable art gallery
75
Your online source for
GREAT ART at
affordable prices.
BRBARBARA.COM
Boob Art
Supports
Breast Cancer
Awareness
Name: Otis Tukes
Age: 60
Occupation: Co-owner, Kingdom
Christian Bookstore in Fort
People
Pierce and Vero Beach.
Family: Wife, Michelle; son,
Othello, Orlando; daughters
Lagashia, Natayna, Tina and
Priscilla, Indiana.
Background: U.S. Coast Guard admiral chef, lay minister.
What inspires me: “Every day I’m inspired by God.”
Something most people don’t know about me: “We feed the
homeless at Pinewood Park and in the Café on Avenue D.”
Books became so popular in Fort Pierce, Tukes opened another store in
Vero Beach with plans for others in the Treasure Coast area.
“You know, you have to miss the Coast Guard,” Tukes admits.
“I cook at home, but not any catering. I own a bookstore.”
He continued culinary activities, but also began practicing
the ministry. He was a lay minister during his time with the
Coast Guard and ministered with various churches afterward.
He moved to Fort Pierce four years ago from Florissant,
Mo., a suburb of St. Louis.
The idea to start a Christian bookstore came when he and
his wife noticed that stores in Vero Beach, Port St. Lucie and
Stuart were closing down. The Kingdom Christian Bookstore
in downtown Fort Pierce opened two years ago and its success
led the couple to open another in Vero Beach in January.
It was the couple’s first venture into owning a bookstore,
but “things are beginning to pick up as people find out about
us,” Tukes says.
They have plans to open similar stores in Sebastian, Fellsmere
and Okeechobee because they notice people driving
from those areas to patronize their stores.
The management skills of Michelle, a certified nursing assistant
and hairdresser, and Otis came in handy once again when
the Treasures in Town Fest, overseen by the Treasure Coast Art
Association, was at risk of closing down. The Tukeses went to
the association office near the bookstore in Fort Pierce.
“We said, ‘Don’t close it down, please,’ ” Otis says. So he
and Michelle took control.
The local event, held the second Saturday of the month,
“helps the downtown community in establishing an atmosphere
for vendors to present their arts and antiques and
hopefully makes the whole state of Florida recognize that
Fort Pierce has something valuable for them,” Tukes says.
The new
Kurtell
Medical Center
• Under new management.
• All suites are being remodeled to suit.
• New flooring, tile, wood, carpet,
paint and marble counter tops.
COME SEE OUR
NEW MODEL!
We will promote your new practice
here throughout the county.
3 year lease offered (no annual increases)
at $14.95/sq.ft. plus small cam.
777 37th St. Suite A-103 • Vero Beach, FL 32960
772-567-8500
/www.brbarbara.com
/Barbara.com
/BRBARBARA.COM
/BRBARBARA.COM