At the very heart of any successful business lies one basic principle. You have to know your market. As a life long farmer, the concept of knowing your market was nothing new to Elbert "Red" Kennedy. And he knew there would be a market for his catfish long before he built 11 acres of ponds on his remote farm in rural Clay County.

Growth is considered by many as a reasonable means by which to measure the success of a business. This thought could have been on Red’s mind as he pondered his newly established business. The market was good, but he saw the potential for better. Then one day, while considering his options, an idea was born. What better way to improve a market than to create your own, and what better market for catfish than your own catfish restaurant! It was this idea that led to the construction of Red's Catfish Cabin atop a knoll overlooking his fishponds, surrounded by open pastures and adjoining woodlands.

The two-story building, constructed mainly of rough pine lumber cut from Kennedy's farm, has more than 7,000 feet of floor space. Even the booths, built by his brother Roger and nephew Jeremy, are made from home-cut pine. "We cut down five big pine trees right down yonder," Kennedy said pointing to one of many clusters of stumps standing about 100 yards from the restaurant, "A friend of mine sawed them up, and stored the lumber back until we started building."

The idea of a restaurant may have seemed a bit unconventional at first, and even more so when considering such a rural setting. Nevertheless, the restaurant opened to overwhelming success. During the first week, over 700 pounds of fish were served. The original intent was to supply the catfish from the ponds. However, business was so successful that additional fish had to be purchased just to get through that first week.

The restaurant, which opens only Thursday through Sunday, now serves about 1,200 pounds of catfish each week. The number of patrons visiting Red’s Catfish each week averages more than 1,000. Customers continue to flock to Red’s, many known by the staff as "regulars". Customers come from all over. But many of the "regulars" routinely travel in excess of 50 miles just for the home cooked taste of Red’s fried catfish.

There’s just something about the place! The tranquility of such a rural setting seems to have actually enhanced the restaurant’s appeal. The rustic building, the relaxed down home atmosphere, and of course the friendly staff, all add to this appeal. And when you’re done, don't be surprised to hear a cheerful, "Y’all come back now!"