Kelly and Bo Barefoot are the owners and operators of two businesses located in downtown Elizabethtown, NC. Originally from Dudley and Four Oaks, NC, they moved to White Lake from Raleigh in 2018 after their oldest son was in the Marines and their twins graduated from the University of North Carolina and Appalachian State University. With a heart for small businesses and a strong work ethic, the couple has dedicated their livelihood to Bladen County.
Their initial goal was to invest in the community with an “outside the box” business that would bring the community together while offering a high-value product. They were informed that numerous coffee shops had failed, but they were determined to offer a fun and high-end customer experience coupled with quality beverages along with set business hours throughout the year. During the winter of 2019, they invested and worked diligently to prepare Barefoot Brew. The original plan was to open the coffee shop in early 2020.
In January of 2020, they were contacted to determine their interest in purchasing a sub-shop that was operating in the Cape Fear Farmer’s Market. “We decided to invest even deeper into our community, and we purchased that shop on January 24 of 2020. Well, we all know what happened next. The Covid Pandemic caused virtually every restaurant or other service-related business to remove all their seating or close and adapt to changing mandates on a weekly basis,” the Barefoots stated. They added, “We could not have started our businesses at a worse time. Our new businesses did not have enough financial history to qualify for any of the government-subsidized loans. We had to attempt to make it on our own with life savings and personal wages as we were both working at that time,” stated Kelly.
Bo added, “We are quite honestly still here and in business because of the support that this community and county gave us by coming in to dine at the sandwich shop or grabbing beverages from the coffee shop.” Frustrated with ever-changing state mandates, they decided that they were at least going to start their coffee shop, even if it failed, and opened “Barefoot Brew” on April 9, 2020. “Our furniture was pushed up against the wall, and all our employees were wearing masks. It was really surreal, and looking back, we realize just how stubborn and hard-headed we were to even attempt to open,” said Bo while laughing. They did $50 in sales the first day “Barefoot Brew” opened, and they are still amazed that they have survived due to their initial challenges with capital, daily sales, and customer hesitancy due to Covid.
The management of the two businesses located within a block of one another may seem overwhelming but has been very synergistic, according to the Barefoots. The sandwich shop has cooler space for necessary milk, cold coffee, and other beverages that must be restocked daily while also providing dry storage for needed paper goods and coolers that are needed for Barefoot Brew and the “Brew Wagon.”
Kelly added, “I saw a super cute one-horse hauling trailer online that was located nearby and showed it to Bo. We discussed the pros and cons of adding a small mobile unit– “Brew Wagon” – and the rest is history. We already have over 20 mobile events reserved through this fall and are proud to serve our coffee shop products at virtually any type of event you can imagine. We charge a minimal fee based on the number served and use the wagon as a marketing tool as well.” The experience of being able to order a specific beverage for one’s personal taste has been well received by their mobile patrons.
They are currently beginning a new journey by setting up a satellite location in the Page Building Resource Center right next to the library at Bladen Community College. “Dr. Lee has been so forward-thinking with this concept, and we are honored to be invited,” said Kelly. It is their goal to bring great beverages to the student body and staff of BCC. The general public will also be allowed to park and enter to purchase items, and they hope that this will bring an enlightened awareness of everything that BCC has to offer to our community. Their goal is to be open at BCC by May 1st. They will keep everyone posted with their social media, according to Kelly. “We invite everyone to follow us on Facebook at Barefoot Brew and/or Barefoot’s Sandwich Shoppe. Barefoot Brew is also on Instagram,” they added.
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They wanted to thank Burney’s Sweets & More for being a fantastic building partner and assisting them in many ways. We are fortunate to share a building with another business that supports other businesses also. The Barefoots personally operate their businesses daily and, with their young associates, have been able to remain economically viable.
“Our biggest challenge is available labor as it is with many businesses today. Our team is great, yet when there are events (such as Prom & Graduation) at each high school, we will be short-staffed and may even have to close,” the Barefoots stated. They both added, “Our team is fantastic. We just added Hannah Allison as our full-time Manager and lead Barista at the coffee shop. We are beyond blessed to have many of the best and brightest young adults with engaging personalities representing our businesses.” Kelly went on to say, “Our Team consists of decorated college graduates, those currently attending college, softball players, volleyball players, soccer players, beauty queens, basketball players, cheerleaders, hunters, theatrical singers, and actors.
“Our youth are far more intelligent and competent than we give them credit for being. We are firm yet fair with the expectations we have for our associates. I literally tear up when I think of the great ‘kids’ that represent us.” Bo finished up by stating, “Perhaps ignorance is bliss as we are unfamiliar with the local biases because we love White Lake, Elizabethtown, Dublin, Bladenboro, Kelly, White Oak, Tarheel, Clarkton, and East Arcadia. Our Team members attend West Bladen High School and East Bladen High School and have literally worked together on the same day that they competed against each other. Maybe we as older adults can learn from these young adults to leave preconceived racial and economic prejudices in the past and realize we are all one great community, perhaps with challenges that need to be discussed but still, one great community.”
Barefoot Brew is located at 119 West Broad Street, Elizabethtown, NC, and can be contacted at 910-247-6161. You may call ahead, and they will walk out your order, or you may have it delivered via DoorDash. Hours are Monday through Friday from 6 am-6 pm, Saturday 7 am-6 pm, and Sunday 9am-3pm.
Barefoot’s Sandwich Shoppe is located at 106 MLK Blvd., Elizabethtown, NC, in the Cape Fear Farmer’s Market, and can be reached by calling 910-991-3094. Delivery in Elizabethtown is offered only with a $30 purchase minimum. Hours are Monday-Saturday from 11 am-3 pm.
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