BLADEN COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) – Many businesses, especially small ones in small towns have struggled over the past two years during the pandemic.
Kelly and Bo Barefoot own Barefoot’s Sandwich Shoppe and Barefoot Brew in Elizabethtown. The Sandwich Shoppe opened in January of 2020, and the coffee shop in April of 2020.
“So, we opened April 9th, with the furniture pulled, with do not cross tape around it, with masks on, and we did $56 Our first day,” Bo said.
With just six employees at the time between the two businesses and because they had just opened, they didn’t qualify for any government loans like many businesses did to survive the pandemic. The Town of Elizabethtown waived a few months of rent payments so they could stay open.
For the Barefoots supporting their community is the main goal. They invest in the young adults of Bladen County as employees and put their customers first to keep the doors open while encouraging the community to support all of the small businesses in town.
“If you push the other businesses, I think that they see, they’ll push you back. And we’re stronger as a unit than we are as individuals,” Bo said.
COVID was an unusual time, but the Barefoots worked on establishing online ordering and outdoor seating areas at both businesses to keep customers coming in.
The first year and a half of business was a struggle– but there was finally a light at the end of the tunnel about six months ago.
“We actually discussed closing the doors in late November of 2021 for both businesses because it was just such a drain financially, and it was a drain physically, emotionally, just because you felt like you were going down hill on your own, and you’re back up here. So, it was nice to see a turnaround in December and since then, things have just been on the rise,” Bo said.
They now have a total of 45 employees between the two businesses.
As they’ve finally started to recover from their losses, inflation is now starting to make a dent in many businesses, including theirs.
“Cost of goods is up 15 to 20%. I’m trying to keep our pricing down to a point that I know that I will not drive business away, our profit margin has gone down because of this, obviously. But we still are able to maintain a profit margin, even though it’s much slimmer than it was. We probably need to go up on our pricing. Yet we’re trying to stay reasonable for our area.”
For now, their investment in the community and loyal customers is what keeps them going.
“Customers first, employee second and our salaries third, and if we can concentrate on that, you’ll be rewarded, and we honestly believe that, and a lot of businesses go the other way. And that’s just not us. You know, we’re very fortunate to have made it this long,” Bo said.
Barefoot Brew is opening a second, satellite location at Bladen Community College on Wednesday, and the Barefoots hope to gain more customers there as they fight the rising costs due to inflation.
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