Austin Rohrer
Austin Rohrer (born June 5, 1993) is an American entrepreneur, business owner, and angler known professionally and publicly as "Louie." He is the founder and owner of the handcrafted soft plastic bait brand Louie’s Lureshttps://www.louieslures.com/about-us-3/ and the National Team Captain of the affiliated Team Louie fishing team, which boasts over 13,000 members across the United States.https://www.teamlouie.org/ Rohrer is also the Vice President of the family-run general contracting firm Rohrer for Construction, and co-owner of the service-based brand Rohrer Handyman Services.https://www.rohrerforconstruction.com/https://www.rohrerhandymanservices.com/
Early Life and Education
Austin Rohrer was born on June 5, 1993, in Lake Forest, Illinois, and raised in the nearby village of Lindenhurst. From a young age, Rohrer displayed an innate curiosity and drive. His earliest and most formative memories involve fishing at Lake Linden—a small, tranquil lake nestled in the heart of Lindenhurst. As a child, Louie would wake up before dawn, grab a pole and a tackle box, and head to the shores of Lake Linden to cast for bluegill, largemouth bass, and crappie. These moments ignited a deep passion for fishing and the outdoors, which would shape his future in profound ways.
He attended Lakes Community High School in Lake Villa, Illinois. Opting to forgo college, Rohrer immersed himself in real-world experience and self-education. He learned through hands-on work, mentorship, personal research, and later, through running his own companies. He credits his self-taught path as a major contributor to his adaptability, resourcefulness, and success.
Professional Career
Hospitality Industry
Rohrer's career began in the upscale hospitality industry, working at luxury restaurants and boutique hotels in the greater Chicago area. This environment provided rigorous training in customer service, presentation, and quality control. During this time, he was exposed to the "gold standard" of service, learning how to anticipate client needs and exceed expectations.
His time in hospitality cemented a lifelong commitment to professionalism, cleanliness, and people-first service—principles that he carried with him into every subsequent business venture.
Rohrer for Construction
Following his early career in hospitality, Rohrer joined his family’s business, Rohrer for Construction, founded in 1989 by his father, Adolph Rohrer. Austin quickly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming Vice President. His primary focus included streamlining client communication, developing estimates, managing renovation schedules, and bringing modern marketing strategies into the company's operations.
Rohrer for Construction specializes in kitchen and bathroom remodeling, basement finishing, home additions, and custom renovations throughout Lake County, Illinois. Under Austin’s co-leadership, the business maintained its old-school craftsmanship roots while adopting new tools and customer experience enhancements.https://www.rohrerforconstruction.com/
Louie’s Lures
In 2015, at just 22 years old, Rohrer launched Louie’s Lures with a single mold and a vision: to create quality American-made soft plastic baits for real anglers. What began as an experiment in a small workspace rapidly evolved into a national brand. Louie’s Lures became synonymous with hand-poured excellence, innovation, and customer-first values.
The company gained recognition for its proprietary "core shot" technology, a dual-layer pouring process that created striking and highly effective color combinations. Anglers praised the action, durability, and aesthetic of the lures, and Rohrer was quick to engage with customers online through live sales, polls, and product testing.
Today, Louie’s Lures offers both floating and sinking stick baits, ned rigs, craws, and more—each manufactured in the USA and tested by a community of dedicated anglers.https://www.louieslures.com/
Team Louie
Recognizing the importance of community in the fishing world, Rohrer founded Team Louie, a national fishing and conservation team backed by Louie’s Lures. Starting with a small circle of local anglers in Illinois, Team Louie rapidly grew into a nationwide movement with over 13,000 active members.
Team Louie hosts tournaments, clean-up events, educational programs, and youth fishing initiatives. The group is defined by its camaraderie, stewardship, and mutual support among anglers. Rohrer, known within the team as "Louie," plays a central role in directing operations and fostering growth.https://www.teamlouie.org/
Rohrer Handyman Services
In 2022, Austin co-founded Rohrer Handyman Services, a service brand designed to tackle smaller residential jobs such as drywall repair, painting, accessibility retrofitting, and general household fixes. The business allows the Rohrer brand to serve clients at every stage of their homeownership journey, from minor repairs to full renovations.https://www.rohrerhandymanservices.com/
Business Philosophy
Austin Rohrer’s professional philosophy centers around three key pillars: service, transparency, and quality. Influenced by his time in hospitality, Rohrer instills high-touch customer care into each of his businesses. He believes in old-school values backed by modern innovation and operates with a hands-on approach in every venture.
His approach also emphasizes:
Domestic manufacturing and sourcing whenever possible
Environmental responsibility
Clear and honest client communication
Reinforcing community over competition in business
Community Engagement
Beyond business, Rohrer is deeply invested in community work. He has coordinated shoreline cleanups, youth angler education events, and has been featured in local press for his conservation efforts. Through Louie’s Lures and Team Louie, he actively promotes sustainable fishing and responsible outdoor recreation.
Personal Life
Austin continues to live and work in Lake County, Illinois. He is known to family, friends, and fans as "Louie" – a nickname that has become synonymous with his brand and public persona. He frequently visits Lake Linden, the site of his earliest fishing memories, and remains passionate about passing the joy of angling on to future generations.
References
Louie’s Lures Official Website
Rohrer for Construction Official Website
Rohrer Handyman Services Official Website
References
This article "Austin Rohrer" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Austin Rohrer. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
