DowntownHuntington.net presents: “People of Huntington,” where we intend to profile as many residents of the Jewel City, from as many different walks of life, as we can. In our newest installment, we talk to Huntington native Mr. Brandon K. Cordle.
Do you have any siblings?
Yes, Two Sisters, Kaitlin Meadows and Cecilia Cordle.
Are you a morning or evening person?
Definitely a afternoon/evening person.
What are you most known for, especially among your friends?
Being reliable, caring, creative, lucky, articulate, and free spirited.
What do you do in your free time?
I love to grab a bite to eat at many of the restaurants around town, I also love exploring our beautiful state of West Virginia! There is so much beauty even in the little communities throughout our state. Aside from this, I like to hang out with my fiancé, friends and family and reminisce about all of our shared memories while making new ones. I also enjoy playing video games, a current favorite is Valorant.
What hobby would you get into if you had the time and money?
Kayaking all of the greatest rivers our planet has to offer.
If there were an Olympics for everyday activities, what would you have a good chance of winning a medal in?
Tough question.. maybe listening to music?
If you had enough money to not need one, what would be your “job”?
Probably being an artist, just waking up and creating whatever I feel like that day.
What are some accomplishments you’re really proud of?
Graduating from Marshall University School of Art & Design & The Lewis College of Business for Graphic Design & Marketing. Being a member of Generation West Virginia’s latest cohort. Earning the Research Scholar’s Award from the Marshall University Faculty Senate & Research Committee for my business Kieo which was created to act as a intermediary between outside institutional investors looking at investments in the Huntington metro area, connecting them with services businesses that do the best work in our region and established design as an essential business function. Starting a non-profit business called B+ (be positive) in 2015 which advocated for mental health awareness and support, where we raised money for a friend’s family through collaborating with Fratelli’s Italian Restaurant in Barboursville. Starting SIGHT & SOUND Records in 2019 to support local music artists such as 7RU7H who I helped to grow from less than 10,000 monthly Spotify listeners to over 500,000+ through various marketing and artist identity strategies. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 this business slowly dissolved over the course of 2020-2021. Most recently, I am most proud of my achievements at Core10, where I act as an Implementation Manager. Core10 is a FinTech focused Professional Services, Software Development & Product business who strive to hire workers here in West Virginia.
Are you from Huntington? If not, what brings you to Huntington?
I was born in Huntington, but also lived in Milton, Barboursville & Branchland throughout my life.
What are three things you like best about Huntington?
The first thing I love about Huntington is Marshall University, my grandparents graduated from there, I grew up going to football games, even attending a class or two with my Dad when I was a toddler & I also graduated from Marshall as well; so I have a lot of special memories connected to the school. The second thing I love about Huntington is Ritter Park, I am biased of course but I think it is one of the most beautiful and quaint city parks in America. The third thing I love about Huntington is the sense of community, which at its core starts with unity. I think we can do a better job of creating more unity in certain parts of the city, but overall, it is such a beautifully unique place to call home.
What are three things you’d like to change?
- The first thing I’d like to change is the recreational activities we have to choose from in the city and also make the ones that are available more widely known to people who are looking to get out of the house and do something fun. I think there is room for so many new, creative ideas that the city would support, some off the cuff ideas are a City Pool/Wave Pool, Mini Golf Course(s), Top Golf, Casino, etc. (Can we bring the Blizzard back please!?).
- The second thing I would change is the volume and the diversity of acts the Mountain Health Arena, Keith Albee & other venues bring into the city, years ago these arenas hosted some of the most iconic bands we’ve come to know in music. I think it’s important we invest money into bringing bigger acts to the city, that community members and even people outside of our city will come to; bringing more money to local business owners located in the 8th/9th St. area downtown as well. Some notable acts I’d love to see: Tyler Childers, Leon Bridges, Allen Stone, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Dominic Fike, Baby Keem, D’Angelo, My Morning Jacket, SZA, DaBaby, Steve Lacy.. just to name a few. (If anyone remembers when 6LACK, Ella Mai and Mahalia performed in the Keith Albee? It was amazing!!!) I understand some of the booking prices for these artists may be steep, but if we bring in great acts, people will buy the tickets. It’s that simple.
- The final thing I would change about Huntington is all of the abandoned houses around the city and the empty buildings downtown. They need creatively repurposed, there is so much empty real estate around our city, I know efforts from the University will create a positive impact in some of these spaces, but we should also empower and back our local entrepreneurs with funding for comprehensive building and city retransformation plans.
What is/are your favorite restaurant(s) in the Huntington metro? Why?
Some of my favorite restaurants in Huntington are Margarita’s Mexican Bar & Grill for its amazing hospitality and rich cultural atmosphere, the staff is always so friendly, and their food is amazing. I also love Midway Drive-In, it’s a Huntington staple and for good reason, if you haven’t tried a burger and a shake from Midway, stop reading this now and go, seriously. Soul Food Twist, owned and operated by Chef JoJo, she cares so much about her customers and puts her heart and soul into the food she serves! Lastly, to name off a few I love Backyard Pizza, New China Garden Buffet, Calamity J, Huntington Ale House, Austin’s Ice Cream, Paula Vega Cakes & Coffee, Le Bistro, Fox’s Pizza Den, & Jolly Pirates Donuts.
Favorite shop(s)? Why?
I used to be a Graphic Designer for Glenn’s Sporting Goods so I have to give them a shout, they have some great deals on Marshall gear any other sporting equipment you need; they also do custom screen printing as well! I also enjoy The Inner Geek, it’s a cool place to browse through books, comics and more. Lastly, Now Hear This, they’re a great local record shop that has been around for as long as I can remember, I used to stop there during college when they had the corner store where I would check out records I couldn’t afford yet.
Any local and/or small businesses you’d like to acknowledge?
I’d like to give a shoutout to several locally owned businesses and artists that I think are doing great things around the city and the region: Vandalia Digital, helps businesses in Appalachia create a strong digital presence with website design & digital marketing. Thank you to Dave and Bryson for allowing me to be a part of the journey. Bullseye Total Media, they’re authentic, brave, and creative. Brand Yourself, it’s a locally owned retail and print shop. They specialize in custom shirts, screen printing, graphic design, signage, and promotional items. Thrax, a provider of locally sourced consumable CBD products who I was lucky enough to do some packaging and materials design for. Duffield, Lovejoy & Boggs Attorneys At Law, they’re one of the best local law firms for any situation where litigation is the answer. Exclaim Records, promoting local artists and bands in the city. Heath Holley Design + Illustration, a fellow MUSOAD grad, who, in my opinion, is one of the absolute best artist/designers in the city and really putting his stamp on the music scene nationally. The Art of Blake Wheeler, a previous colleague of mine and an amazing artist, painter and muralist out of Charleston, WV.
I also want to give a shout-out to several local music artists that I think are worth checking out: BOV, CityPhil, Massing, The Long Lost Somethins, The Heavy Hitters, Charlie Brown Superstar, 7RU7H, Mr. Awful, SlumpMadeit, The Settlement, Yorktwn & Of The Dell. Ackenpucky, a Design-Make Firm Providing Commercial & Residential Design & Project Management, notably for some of your favorite spots in Huntington including Black Sheep, The Peddler, Bahnhof, Backyard & more. Landscaping by Hillcrest, simply one of the best landscaping companies in the region. The Cellar Door, they always put on fun, festive events. My fiancé and I love celebrating New Year’s there. Lastly, some of my favorite bars in the city are St. Marks, The Jockey Club, La Fontaine’s, The Union, The Lantern, Sharkey’s & Summit Beer Station.
What is a food you’ve had that you enjoy that you can’t find in Huntington?
Every time I travel to Washington D.C there are always so many amazing breakfast/brunch spots to choose from (s/o to The Coupe). I really wish we had a unique, locally owned brunch spot. I’ve considered opening up one myself in downtown and calling it ‘Scrambled’, if anyone wants to help me make that happen give me a shout!
What are some things everybody should try at least once?
I believe every person, especially if you are born and raised in West Virginia should try white-water rafting at least once in their lifetime, I was fortunate enough to do this my first time with Generation West Virginia, which is a fellowship program that celebrates young potential leaders of the state and gives them connections and support in their careers as they continue to grow and flourish in this beautiful state we call home!
Where is the strangest place you’ve ever been?
The strangest place I have ever been is probably in an active gas chamber in Columbia, SC during Basic Combat Training for the U.S Army or maybe a New York City Subway Train, you never know what you’ll see down there.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
Complacency Kills.
Pretend this is the yearbook, what is your senior quote?
“In life, it’s not about who you know, it’s about who you meet.”
If you or someone you know would like to be profiled, send an email Re: “People Of Huntington” to DowntownHuntington@gmail.com.
