NWGA'S PREMIER FEATURE MAGAZINE / SEPTEMBER 2026
The Root of the Matter The comfy confines of Austen Earp's Darkroot Studios offer artists from all walks of life the opportunity to create and collaborate without boundaries.
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YOUR PORCH Together, we shine a light on healing.
Join AdventHealth throughout the month of October as we honor those in our community affected by breast cancer. To help catch cancer early, we make it easy to get screened with 3D mammograms in 30 minutes. Find Pink Porch bulb pick-up locations at PinkPorchGA.com. Share your porch using #PinkPorchGA.
26-GA-4502370584
Schedule a mammogram now. PinkPorchGA.com
800-776-5102
Screening appointment times may vary. 2
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Nurturing Independence, Promoting individuality and Enrigching the Lives of Our Residents
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SEPTEMBER 2026 COLUMNS 8 10
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This month, Mark Suroviec reveals the health and fitness secrets he used to transform his body from reverse fun size to slightly less fat.
AdventHealth’s Lung Screening Program offers a quick, painless way to detect lung conditions early and get patients on the path to recovery faster.
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FEATURES 14 #
Behind the doors of the 100 Broad Street Hardy Home lies a world of possibilities, for home and business owners alike.
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When it comes to great Mexican cuisine and all around good vibes, Las Palmas has made itself synonymous with both.
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When most people hear music, they hear the finished song. For Austen Earp, a solo entrepreneur and owner of Darkroot Studios, the real story begins long before the first note is recorded.
Your Community Bank We invite you to become part of the FIRST NATIONAL COMMUNITY BANK FAMILY
Gentle and caring dentistry for the whole family!
As your locally-owned community bank, we are here for every step of your financial journey.
fncbank.com
19A John Maddox Dr • (706) 235-5899 Find us on Facebook @KentCEllingtonDMDPC
DOWNTOWN ROME 501 Broad Street 706.378.5300
WEST ROME 2211 Shorter Avenue 706.378.5305
ARMUCHEE 2950 Martha Berry Blvd. 706.314.0560
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Publisher's Note Being a parent has been the greatest adventure of my life. Our kids keep us on our toes, and I've been lucky to raise three wonderful children that bring me so much joy and fulfillment. The messes, breakdowns, tantrums, highs and lows are all part of it, and those shared experiences are what make a family closer. My sister and I often laugh the hardest about the times we stressed our parents the most. It might not have been funny at the moment, but we all laugh together about those memories now. My parents sacrificed their personal time and ambitions to make sure we got the opportunities to try new things and find our passions. You don't realize that's what's O W N E R & C E O Ian Griffin happening until you grow older, and your appreciation for that sacrifice is only magnified when you raise children of your own. From exotic pets to sports and other extracurricular activities, I've ridden the waves of new passions/obsessions. Cup stacking, Pokémon cards, competition video game teams, Comic-Con, scuba diving, marching band...the list goes on and on. You show up, you support, and you see what sticks. Speaking of sticks, my youngest son just picked up a pair of the drumming variety, and while most of you are probably waiting on an earplugs joke, I'm actually quite excited about this new hobby. That is excitement, in large, is due to his enthusiasm. The last thing you want to do as a parent is force your children to practice, so when they find something they really enjoy, you appreciate the fact you don't have to beg them to do so. The other plus for me, came a little sooner than expected, but as he practiced the first beat he was tasked with learning, his old man was able to plug in and jam a little AC/DC with his son, and seeing the lights turn on for him as to what it feels like to play a piece of music was an alltime moment for me. I recently talked to a studio engineer who said you can't be afraid to suck if you want to be good at anything. Our rendition of "Back in Black" was clunky to be sure, but the realization that he could count us in, make the changes and hit the big finish washed over him and made his dad's year. We'll see if it sticks...pun intended, but if that was the first of many or a flash in the pan on the way to his next experiment, I'm here for it and loving it!
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OWNER & CEO Ian Griffin MANAGING PARTNER Chris Forino CREATIVE DIRECTOR Katelyn Roman WRITERS Ian Griffin, Nina Lovel, Mark Suroviec, Curry Teems, Lauren Bachman PHOTOGRAPHERS Ivan Felipe, Andy Calvert PUBLISHER V3 Publications, LLC CONTACT hello@v3collective.com CREATOR Neal Howard
READV3.COM ReadV3.com: Where you can find all the print content from this issue, our archives and exclusive ReadV3 digital features.
Please join us for an evening of fellowship as we host our annual
Trunk or Treat
Thursday, October 29, 4-6pm Henderson & Sons Funeral Home, South Chapel 3002 Maple Road, Rome, GA 30161
Popcorn - Candy - Pizza - Fun & Games Free admission! Costumes encouraged! Event held outside, so dress for the weather!
www.hendersonandsons.com
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Walking Back to Fitness – Part 1 I am fat. My seven-year-old asks me daily if men can have babies in their tummy, too. Or, more accurately, I used to be fat. Now I'm living in the overpopulated netherworld between #ReverseFunSize and #SlightlyLessFatDadBod. In the past [realistic number] weeks, I've lost [totally unbelievable, but impressive number] pounds on my journey back to fitness. What is the secret to my miraculous success? Three things:
THE HABIT CONTINUUM, WALKING, AND AN INABILITY TO CALCULATE BASIC MATH The Habit Continuum is a variation of an idea popularized by self-help guru James Clear in his best-selling book Atomic Habits. The book's simple premise isn't to set grandiose goals or make big changes, but to aim to be 1% better every day. 1% better every day sounds like a winning strategy for every life goal. Unfortunately, it's a lie. Daily progress starts easy for the first week or so. But after only one year, that 1% compounds into a 3,678% increase. For those of you who cheated off of Danny Sullivan every morning in statistics class, that's a final performance 37 times better than when you started. How terrible do you have to be at a skill to be 37 times better at it by the end of the year?
WARNING: MATH AHEAD Suppose you can run a mile in fifteen minutes. Great! After one year, your new mile time is 23.8 seconds. At the end of year two, you are running the mile in 0.63 seconds. A feat practically impossible without the aid of the Armurchee Waffle House teleporter. Meanwhile, most Olympians spend four years of training to shave off a tenth of a second. My guess is Atomic Habits isn't a best-seller in the Olympic village. Let's consider an example from my own life and love of DoubleStuf Oreos. The recommended serving size of the greatest cookie known to mankind is only ONE BLOODY OREO. Nabisco does not recommend taking the top off both Oreos and smushing them together into a homemade QuadraStuf cookie. Or to stack two quads at a time vertically for an OctadectileStuf delight while bingeing Stranger Things at 2
Mark Suroviec, M.Ed., is the Chief Ambassador of Fun at WorkPlay Solutions, the author of Forever Sisters, and the Vice President of the Children’s Museum of Rome. He hopes you pity laugh at his humor and satire stories, especially the ones that aren’t funny.
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a.m. until the bag was gone. Before we get too carried away by the glorious recipe for OctadectileStuf Oreos, remember the point of the exercise is to apply the formula in reverse. To reach the recommended serving size of Oreos by the 1% rule, what is the starting point? It’s crafting Thirty-SevenStuf monstrosities almost two feet tall. Since most of us don't eat Oreos with the shovel of a hydraulic forklift, Mr. Clear's advice is less help than a football scholarship to Tennessee. This is where the Habit Continuum comes in. What is one tiny change you can make in the right direction, without worrying about improving by a set amount every day? In our example, the health-conscious cookie-holic buys the Family-Size bag instead of the Party-Size bag. Let's apply this principle to other things we want to improve. The U.S. debt passed $40,000,000,000,000 this year. How do we fix it? Slash billions for unnecessary things like schools and roads, and toss a crisp $20 into the pile. BOOM, now the debt is only $39,999,999,999,980. HERE ARE SOME OTHER PRACTICAL TIPS FOR BUILDING NEW BEHAVIORS WITH THE HABIT CONTINUUM: • Smoke too many cigarettes? Try burning leaves in a trash barrel instead. • Addicted to Meth? Switch from melting crystals in a tablespoon to a teaspoon. • Does your dog poop in the neighbor's lawn every day? Scoop it up and give it to an ecologically minded teenager. They may want to place it in a paper bag and light it on fire.
• Not enough money for food and groceries? Follow the nearest DoorDash driver around West Rome and pull into the driveway immediately after they park. "Oh, you beat me home, thank you," as you take the bags and run back to your car before they ring the doorbell equals a free meal. • Need to write an article for V3 Magazine? Instead of penning complete nonsense, choose utter nonsense. With this expert advice*, ANYONE can improve any bad habit. The sky's the limit, mostly of breathable oxygen. Stay tuned for Part 2 of fitness shenanigans when Mark, speaking in third person as a newly minted healthy living influencer, discovers the best places to walk around Rome at night without having to leap into a ditch from oncoming traffic. Again. Disclaimer: This story was written by Mark Suroviec, M.Ed. All people and quotations are fictional, invented by the limited imagination of the author, and do not reflect the opinions of the author, editors, or V3 Magazine. *This article is intended to be satire, regardless of whether you found it funny. You likely did not. It does not constitute ethical medical, financial, or legal counsel, and blah, blah, blah required disclaimer jargon words.
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EARLY DETECTION, EARLY PREVENTION When it comes to lung health, early detection can make all the difference. AdventHealth Redmond’s Lung Nodule Clinic helps patients take a proactive approach through advanced screening and personalized care. By identifying lung nodules and other potential concerns as early as possible, our team can recommend appropriate followup care and treatment, helping patients move forward with greater confidence and peace of mind.
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When it comes to your health, knowing where you stand can be life-changing. Whether you have the comfort of knowing you’re living optimally, or you discover opportunities for improvement through lifestyle changes, just knowing where you stand can be a powerful tool. In rural communities like Northwest Georgia, higher incidents of lung cancer are common. Lung cancer can be a particularly challenging diagnosis because the symptoms rarely show up until it has developed into an advanced stage. Finding cancer early can increase the chances of success. In 2015, the AdventHealth Lung Nodule Clinic created a program intent on getting people through their doors as early as possible to detect any signs of cancer or other harmful lung conditions. The Lung Screening Program Suzanne Blanchard, AdventHealth Redmond’s Lung Program Coordinator, coordinates the Lung Screening Program which guides patients through lung screenings. Early detection can make a world of difference. She has seen many patients discover they have cancer through a screening or incidental finding. And thanks to the early detection, she has also seen them start treatment sooner than they might have otherwise, resulting in better outcomes. “When someone hears that something has been found in their lung, it can be frightening and
Suzanne Blanchard, Lung Program Coordinator
comes with a tremendous amount of uncertainty. Patients often don’t know what happens next. Being able to walk beside them, answer their questions and make sure they don’t get lost in the process is one of the most meaningful parts of what I do,” says Blanchard. Lung screenings can help even beyond recognizing lung cancer. While nodules can be signals of lung cancer and other lung conditions, they aren’t always harmful. If any nodules found require further observation, the Lung Nodule Clinic works with the patient to develop a personalized plan of care. In August, AdventHealth Redmond launched the Ion robotic bronchoscopy platform, an advanced technology designed to enhance the evaluation and biopsy of pulmonary nodules. The addition of the Ion expands AdventHealth Redmond's pulmonary and thoracic oncology services by providing physicians with enhanced stability, precision and reach within the lungs, including access to small and difficult-to-reach peripheral nodules. A patient’s eligibility to participate in the lung screening program is based on their combined age and smoking history. Blanchard says, “Generally, screening is recommended for adults ages 50–80 who have at least a 20 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.” Pack-years represent the number of packs smoked through one’s lifetime; a 20 pack-year would be the equivalent of one pack smoked per day for 20 years, two packs smoked every day for 10 years, and so on. Repeated tobacco use “exposes lung tissue to
cancer-causing chemicals,” which accumulates with each use. This exposure can make tobacco users more susceptible to lung damage; however, the lungs can heal the longer they go without tobacco exposure. Screening is highly recommended, even after quitting, to ensure the care team can assess the need for additional treatment. “One thing I really want people to understand is that it is never too late to quit. The risk of lung cancer decreases over time after someone stops smoking, along with the risk for many other serious diseases. We are not here to judge anyone for smoking. Our job is to meet patients where they are, help them understand their risk and give them the opportunity to take care of their health,” says Blanchard. Although the Lung Screening Program applies to specific patients, the Lung Nodule Clinic can help anyone with observed lung nodules, both in and outside of the Lung Screening Program. Expert navigators, radiologists, pulmonologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, and other specialists assess the needs of each patient, every step of the way. Everyone who visits the clinic is treated with the same core tenets: “Keep Me Safe, Love Me, Make It Easy and Own It.” AdventHealth’s service standards shape the patient’s care plan and ensure everyone receives the dignity, respect, and the compassion they deserve. “Every person deserves to feel like they’re not alone when they’re facing uncertainty,” says Blanchard. “That’s what I want our patients to feel when they come through our program.” The comfort of understanding your health is invaluable. Knowing where you are now can shape how you approach treatments, lifestyle changes, and anything else that may benefit your health going forward. And AdventHealth is prepared to help through it all.
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Innovative Therapies, Compassionate Care.
See the DIFFERENCE Memory Care can make. Memory Care at The Spires at Berry College has been intentionally designed to provide a specialized, secure and supportive environment for those with memory loss. Every day is full of opportunities for a more connected, more purposeful way of life — not to mention expert caregivers and a progressive care curriculum. Discover the many ways your loved one can benefit from Memory Care at The Spires: • Family-style dining featuring multiple entrée selections with fresh, wholesome ingredients • Dedicated horticulture therapist–led gardening programs with hands-on activities in the courtyard • Emphasis on individualized attention and family involvement • Secure outdoor courtyard featuring winding paths, raised garden beds and inviting seating areas • Purposeful programming that incorporates art, music and personal interaction • Intuitive neighborhood design promoting safety, comfort and easy navigation
600 Eagle Lake Trail | Rome, GA 30165
We welcome you to visit our beautiful, uplifting community to experience it for yourself — call 706-607-5322 or visit RetireAtBerry.com.
Independent Living • Assisted Living • Memory Care • Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation 12
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A BETTER COMMUNITY,
TOGETHER
Th a n k Y ou
2 0 Y E A R S O F L O C A L B A N K I N G
JOIN • GIVE • VOLUNTEER YMCA OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY 810 E 2nd Ave, Rome, GA 30161 706-232-2468 WWW.YMCAROME.ORG
Now Open! Exceptional Veterinarian Care in Rome, Georgia
1401 Kingston Road NE Rome, GA 30161 | (706)413-2737 | info@etowahanimalhospital.com
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An Adventurous Opportunity This month’s Hardy Home brings an exciting opportunity to set up shop in the heart of Broad Street—or better yet, to live there. With beautiful views and stunning architecture, this property has potential that goes as far as its owner is willing to make it, as a home, a business, or both.
text LAUREN BACHMAN | photos EMB SOLUTIONS CO.
B
road Street speaks for itself. The best of Rome is all to be found in this vibrant, historical locale. Artists, restaurateurs, and craftsmen alike have embraced the beauty of its original architecture as they explore their vision of it. On the cotton block, overlooking Rome’s Rivers, is this month’s Hardy Home: 100 Broad Street. All the magnificence of Rome is packaged in this luxurious twostory, mixed-use commercial building. It has the beautiful industrialist architecture that makes Broad Street stand out, paired with 10,000 square feet of commercial space in addition to 10,000 square feet of residential space, along with a sleek rooftop terrace with an entertaining space, outdoor kitchen and dining area. To top it all off there is also a covered rear porch with a hot tub and 20-plus parking spaces by the rear entrance. 100 Broad Street is an adventure lying in wait. An eclectic home, a thrilling business venture, or an enchanting mix of both—it can be anything you make it. The rooftop seating area has a gorgeous view of Broad Street and the rivers. This is the perfect spot to watch the city go by.
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Leading down the stairs from the rooftop is a large, beautiful living area, kitchen, and dining room. This room is a mixture of elegant wooden floors, beams, decor and metal embellishments, tied together with an exposed brick wall. A marble countertop bar sits in one corner, opposite the kitchen. The bar features natural wood cabinets, while the kitchen cabinets have a lovely darker finish. The kitchen includes commercial-grade appliances, a walk-in pantry, and a large island with lit stone countertops and a built-in sink. The commercial range and vent along with multiple refrigerators create a hyper-functional wow factor. The rest of the living area is used as a combined sitting room, office, and TV room, which features a built-in bookshelf and a beautiful brick fireplace. This area, in particular, can be shaped to your desire. It has plenty of windows overlooking the city and the river, but their placement allows for plenty of privacy. And despite the size of the room, the decor and layout lend it a coziness that makes it feel like the perfect place to wind down. Movie lovers will more likely be drawn to one of the nearby rooms, though. Branching off the living room is an in-home theater with stadium seating featuring 10 plush theater seats, surround sound and high-definition projection.
HARDY REALTY | HOME FEATURE | 17
With easy access to drinks and snacks from the bar and kitchen, the only thing left to do is wonder what you’re going to watch first. The loft also features a game room, with pool, ping pong, and air hockey tables. This impressive leisure space leads you to the guest rooms, which all feature a walk-in closet and adjoining bathroom. At the end of the hall, you come to the master bed and bath. The primary bath includes a spacious tiled steam shower, free-standing tub, a lit dual vanity with a double sink. The primary master closet features a large island, custom shelving and its own laundry connections. The master bedroom is its own getaway, in a more serene, secluded corner of this floor. They are a luxurious pairing that add a soothing aesthetic to the property without compromising its industrialist architecture. Below the impressive living space, lies 10,000 square feet of commercial opportunity, that was previously used as a fitness center. Equipped with locker rooms, showers, bathrooms and a
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versatile open floor plan that can accommodate any type of business venture. Whether you’re looking for a hideaway in the heart of the city, a space to entertain family and friends, or a thrilling business venture, the possibilities are endless at 100 Broad Street. For more information about 100 Broad Street, visit Hardy Realty’s listing: https://www.georgiamls.com/100-broadstreet-rome-ga-30161/10806188 To schedule a viewing, contact Realtor Amanda King: Cell: (404) 823-4014 Office: (706) 291-4321 Email: amanda.king@hardyrealty.com Listing courtesy of Hardy Realty & Development Company
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Always & Forever
Serving Our Community Since 1948 328 Broad St. Rome, Ga. 30161 • 706-291-7236 • GreenesJewelers.com
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A LTER NATI V E A ND HO LI STIC HEA LTH S ERV I CES
NEW MEAT, PRO DUCE AND BREAD AVAIL A B LE!
Monday - Saturday: 8:30am - 6pm • Sunday: 12 - 6pm TheHerbShopOnBroad
• 706.232.4447 • New Location: 109 Broad Street
WLAQ Sports has local high school football covered.
DESTINATION FRIDAY NIGHT
ALL
GAMES
6:00
Friday Night Fever: Previewing all the area games w/ the WLAQ team and special guests.
6:45
The Coach Groves Show
7:15
Tiger Pre-game Show
7:30
Darlington Tigers Football
10-11:30
Friday Night Final: Recapping the night’s action with calls from Coaches, special guests, and you the fans.
From 6-11:30 p.m listen LIVE on 96.9 FM, 1410 AM, 1410WLAQ.com or via the Tune in App | Facebook: WLAQ - Rome Friday Night Fever and Friday Night Final can also be accessed on YouTube & Facebook LIVE.
And don’t forget to tune in live Wednesday nights @ 7pm for the Coach Groves Show via Youtube & Facebook LIVE.
RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL SALES P RO P ERT Y M A NAG EM EN T
|
LEASING
hardyrealty.com
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Q&A:
Las Palmas Mexican Restaurant celebrates 29 years!
When it comes to great Mexican cuisine and all-around good vibes, Las Palmas has made itself synonymous with both and the Greater Rome and Northwest Georgia communities have recognized that by their continued patronage of all the Las Palmas locations in the region. One such spot started it all however, and the Shorter Avenue location celebrates 29 years this September. This celebration wouldn’t be possible without their loyal customers, and they look forward to giving back to the diners that have sustained them for almost 30 years. We sat down with Marketing Director Glenn Bowman to discuss the details for the milestone birthday celebration. V3: Las Palmas on Shorter Avenue is celebrating 29 years serving Rome. How does it feel to reach that milestone? 22
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GB: Mostly, it makes us grateful. Twenty-nine years is a lot of meals, a lot of hard work, and a lot of people choosing to spend their time with us. We’re proud of that, and we know our guests, our team, and this community have all helped make it possible. V3: Take us back to the beginning. How did it all start? GB: Las Palmas began as a family business on Shorter Avenue in 1997. The idea was straightforward: serve good Mexican food and make people feel welcome. That first restaurant became the foundation for everything that followed. We’ve grown and changed over the years, but those priorities are still at the heart of what we do.
V3: You now have four locations in Northwest Georgia. Does being the original make Shorter Avenue especially meaningful? GB: Absolutely. We have two locations in Rome, along with Cartersville and Rockmart, but Shorter is where the story began. There’s something special about celebrating 29 years in the place that started it all. Each restaurant has its own team and community around it, and we want each one to feel like it belongs in the neighborhood. V3: Las Palmas has a reputation for enjoying a celebration. What do you have planned for this one?
GB: Our team, without question. There’s a lot of work behind a great restaurant experience. Preparing the food, taking care of tables, keeping everything clean and organized—it takes people who care about getting those things right. We appreciate the effort our team puts in every day. They’re the people who bring our hospitality to life, and they deserve recognition for everything they do. V3: What does serving Rome and Northwest Georgia mean to you, and what comes next?
location, and we’d love for everyone to join us. Bring your family, meet up with friends, and enjoy your favorite meal. This anniversary is a chance to thank the people who keep coming back and welcome those visiting us for the first time.
GB: Being a local business means the relationships matter. We want people to enjoy their meal, feel welcome, and want to come back. We also want to support the communities that have supported us. Looking ahead, we’re focused on continuing to improve the food, the service, and the overall experience. We’re proud of our history, and we want to keep giving people reasons to choose Las Palmas.
V3: So you’re making a two-day celebration out of it?
V3: Anything else you’d like to say to our readers?
GB: We are! One day didn’t feel like enough for 29 years. We wanted to give people a little more flexibility to come celebrate with us. Whichever day you choose, we’ll be happy to see you.
GB: To our guests, thank you for choosing Las Palmas and recommending
GB: We’re celebrating September 28 and 29 at our Shorter Avenue
V3: Who deserves a little recognition as you celebrate those 29 years?
us to your friends and family. To our team, thank you for your hard work and the care you show our guests. This anniversary belongs to you, too. So, gear up and get ready to blow out the candles at Las Palmas, where food, fun and service are never 2nd best. READV3.COM | SEPTEMBER 2026 V3 MAGAZINE
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PERSONAL TRAINING THAT MEETS YOUR GOALS
THE ONLINE EXTENSION OF V3: All current issue content, archives and exclusive Read V3 digital features Personal Trainer, AFFA and Certified Nutrition Coach
cmptrainingrome.com 770.324.9695 | 110 East 8th Avenue
NEED FRAMES?
519 Broad St. Suite 101/103
Classically Crafted 24
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Rome, GA • 706.584.7816 amanda@farrellsframeanddesign.com www.FarrellsFrameAndDesign.com
PRIVATE DINING
CATERED EVENTS
CREATING THE MENU OF YOUR DREAMS IS WHAT WE DO. WE TAKE YOUR VISION AND MAKE IT A REALITY. 413 broad street, rome, ga 30161 lascalaromega.com 706.238.9000 706.238.9011 READV3.COM | SEPTEMBER 2026 V3 MAGAZINE
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Austen Earp, owner of Darkroot Studios 26
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Darkroot Studios Photography: Cameron Flaisch | Written By: Ian Griffin
The soundtracks to our lives may all be a little different, from personal taste to the mainstream tracks you couldn't avoid if you tried, we all have songs, albums, jingles, movie scores & soundtracks and rhythms that evoke memories and emotions that are connected to these soundscapes. From Mozart to Megadeth or Miles Davis to Miley Cyrus, artists have been recording music for our listening pleasure since the late 1800's, and the world has been a better place for it.
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Pet Sounds, Darkside of the Moon, Songs in the Key of Life, Exile on Main Street, Abbey Road, Blood on the Tracks, What's Going On...the list goes ever on, but behind each of these and so many more amazing albums are visionary producers and studio engineers that recorded them. When most people hear music, they hear the finished song. For Austen Earp, a solo entrepreneur and owner of Darkroot Studios, the real story begins long before the first note is recorded. From a studio built on determination, creativity and a desire to collaborate with artists to create great art, Earp has turned a passion for music into a business—helping artists bring their ideas to life while handling everything from recording and production to running the day-to-day operation. A successful musician in his own right, Earp's spark for recording started almost in unison with his performance journey. He started classical piano lessons at seven, began teaching himself guitar and writing his own material at 13 and ventured into the garage band phase at 15. "I was 15 when me and my buddy Matt went halfsies on a multi-tracker, so that was my first curiosity with recording," Earp recalls. "By the time I was 19, I was obsessed with how I could make the recording sound the way I could hear it in my head. From there I started recording my friends and got my feet wet recording other artists in the producer role. During that time, I was in and out of various studios as a performer, picking up every trick of the trade I could learn along the way." As he honed his recording skills collaborating with others, he noticed that many of the pro studios he was recording in happened to be home studios and right before the world shut down in 2020, Earp decided to go all in on his passion, buying a home and building a beautiful in-home studio with all the trimmings needed to create great recordings on the lower level. "I really wanted to create an environment that was conducive to the creative process," says Earp. "I was fortunate to work with a lot of great people that influenced me along the way and began to dream up my ideal studio space. Those experiences taught me not only technical things, but what actually makes a recording environment productive.” From singer-songwriters to full ensembles, Dark Root was created for musicians by a musician. While it takes guts to pick up an instrument and perform in any capacity, the studio setting is a different animal and that is something Earp has a true understanding of. His goal is to make the artists comfortable in that environment so that they can relax and create great art. "The most important thing any musician needs to understand is they can't be afraid to suck," says Earp. "Mistakes are part of the learning process, and often provide moments of discovery, so I try to eliminate that pressure or anxiety with the artists I work with." That no-judgment zone mentality lends itself to the creative process, and Earp enjoys projects where he collaborates with the artists he records most.
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"Regardless of the artists' willingness to receive creative feedback or not, it's my job to try and understand their vision for the finished product and ask myself what the music needs to achieve that goal," says Earp. "Some artists primarily need a great environment and an engineer to help execute an established vision. Others are looking for more hands-on production, instrumentation or creative direction and I’m always happy to fill in the blanks." From that willingness to collaborate comes true genius when it comes to the finished product. Earp's ability to make suggestions and use of the studio as an instrument starts with his onboarding process. He listens to rough recordings of the artists’ tracks they want to record to get a real feel for their sound before they play a single note in the studio. Once the tracking begins, happy accidents can sometimes be the secret sauce for success, and artists who are open to Earp's process often find that to be true. "I use the studio to uncover the strongest version of the song, not simply document it," says Earp. There’s so much opportunity to be intentional about how you use layers to enhance the song's character. This is the most exciting part for me because it’s driven by curiosity, and you can have a lot of fun exploring different ideas.” In short, what you get with Darkroot Studios is a true collaborative effort with your producer/engineer. The artist simply must be open to it. He also collaborates with other producers and provides mentorship opportunities that offer fresh perspective on projects while fostering the craft for up-and-comers that have the passion for it. “I’ve had a few apprentices over the years and it’s great to have a different set of ears to bounce ideas off of.” Says Earp. “I always try to keep an open mind when it comes to suggestions and feedback from the artists and team I’m working with. It all comes back to a culture of collaboration.” For a community like Rome, this level of professionalism is on par with any of the major studios in larger markets like Atlanta or Nashville, without the eye-popping invoices those markets generate. That level of separation from those larger markets allows Darkroot to generate opportunities for artists to create their masterpiece in a comfortable environment that allows them to focus on their art. "The larger markets have their perks, and so many artists are drawn to it," says Earp. "I see the appeal and appreciate my connections in those markets, but I really love my network here and this model helps me help others create great recordings where I don't have to charge large market prices." The opportunity for artists to paint their musical canvas is alive and well at Darkroot Studios and with Austen Earp behind the board it’s ok to dream big. If you bring your ideas, energy and willingness to collaborate to the table, Darkroot can help you uncover the strongest version of your music. To find out more about all the services Darkroot Studios offers visit: https://www.darkrootstudios.com
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Rides
Games
Petting Zoo
Entertainment
Contests
Food
and More!
Memories Made Here The 77th Annual
Fun for every generation!
Oct 6-10 2026 Ticket & Info:
Sponsored by the Exchange Club of Rome Wade Shows Inc. rides
EXCHANGE EXCHANGE EXCHANGE EXCHANGE CLUB OF ROME, GA
CLUB OF ROME, GA EXCHANGE CLUB EXCHANGE OF ROME, GA
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