GirlBoss Feature

#GIRLBOSS

by Ashley Monninger

Nia Faith: Brewskie’s T he idea for this series of articles came from Sophia Amoruso’s “#girlboss Radio” podcast. In it, the author interviews influential business women, “girl bosses.” Sophia never finished college, but she hustled hard and now runs a multi-million dollar media company.

This month’s local #girlboss goes by Nia Faith, and she’s the Owner/Operator of one of our favorite spots in town, Brewskie’s. Nia doesn’t have a college degree, and neither do I. We’re both hustling to grow small, girl-run, businesses in Asheboro. That’s why I’m so psyched to tell the story behind Brewskie,s, and what being a #girlboss means to Nia.

On a Thursday morning, I pull into the empty parking lot of Brewskies. When COVID-19 hit, she and her fiancé, Heath, made the difficult decision to close the restaurant temporarily, giving the staff a chance to file

for unemployment. When we walk in the door, I remark that the space is so cozy & authentic, it really does have a different aesthetic from anywhere else in town. There’s a reason for this: everything you see, both inside and outside of Brewskie’s was sourced locally by Nia herself. She collaborated with Seagrove potter, Crystal King, to create the perfect latte mugs, because what she wanted didn’t exist yet. Even the pottery glaze is a custommixed color for Brewskie’s. The bar is made of reclaimed wood from an old sawmill in town. The stools are handforged in Virginia. Her attention to detail is nothing short of amazing. Remodeling the space to her exacting standards took almost a year. She played a hands-on role from start to finish: refinishing the original hardwood floors, designing a custom ceiling, and adding rustic, exposed beams. Brewskie’s also serves a brand of coffee

that is exclusive to their shop, and can be purchased in-house. Nia’s goal was to offer something different, to complement (not compete with) other local coffee shops. She and Heath met with countless food reps to create the menu. “After we were 15 pounds heavier from trying so many different options,” Nia laughs, “I decided that flatbreads were what Asheboro was missing.” I ask her how she got her start in the food service industry. One of her first jobs, at age 17, was working as a hostess at a well-known restaurant chain. She was good at it and stayed in that field for the next 7 years. About leaving, she says, “I was making a lot of money but I just wanted something better.” So she took a leap of faith, hung up her orange shorts, and started job hunting. She was excited to hear from one of her friends who already worked there, that Dr. McCall Sink was hiring. It took several interviews, and some clarification about her name on Facebook (she goes by “Nia Faith” not “Nia Smith” so initial searches turned up some pretty wild results) but ultimately, she landed a job at Blase Chiropractic. Nia says that she was so grateful for the opportunity. “Dr. McCall was the only boss who ever pushed me to be better. She made me read books about self-improvement and how to work with people. It was a tight sisterhood of girls who worked there,” she recalls, girls who are super-close friends to this day. With her newfound support system, Nia soaked in everything she could about the day-to-day of running a business. Dr. Sink helped to boost her confidence by sincerely believing in her intelligence and abilities. She sent Nia to school, where she earned two different certifications. When Nia told her boss about her Brewskie’s dream, Dr. Sink offered support and guidance, not judgement, and Nia felt for the first time like she could “be like Dr. McCall, and own my own business.”

Conversely, when Nia initially pitched the idea of Brewskie’s to her fiancé, Heath, he was not on board. “With restaurants, it’s different, it’s not like other (business ventures) where there’s a quick return. It takes a long time to make your money back,” she says. But when a landlord led the pair into a musty, neglected building on S. Fayetteville (once Asheboro Beauty School), their visions finally aligned. She wanted good coffee in the morning with friends; he wanted top shelf whiskey and a cigar on the patio, and thus, Brewskie’s was born.

When Brewskie’s opened last June, the growth was swift and substantial. “I was not prepared for the amazing outpouring of support and love from our community,” she remembers. I asked her if she would have done anything differently. She says, “We put good people in the wrong positions, which caused added stress. I think that’s true with any business, but you just roll with the punches and make the best of it.” Nia says that she reads every single review, good and bad. She takes feedback seriously and does her best to deal with problems immediately. It’s sad when she tells me that just when she’d gotten the staff (and the reviews) on the right track, COVID-19 came along and completely derailed things. She’s not worried, though. “I’ve got lots of plans for when we open back up,” she says with a knowing grin.

I concluded our interview by asking Nia what advice she has for any other girls out there who may have dreams of starting their own businesses. She says, “Never let anyone make you feel like you can’t achieve your goals. No matter where you come from, it may be tough but you can do it. Don’t be scared. Keep trying, and don’t give up.” It took her a year to convince Heath, but only one cup of coffee to convince Asheboro, and that’s how Nia Faith became a #girlboss.

Find out more about Brewskie’s on their Facebook page, “Brewskie’s”, on Instagram @brewskiesofasheboro, or stop on by after May 22nd at 736 South Fayetteville St. in Asheboro. Tag them using #brewskiesofasheboro, #downtownasheboro, and #aroundasheboro. (Coffee cup street art by JEKS (aka Brian Lewis) of Greensboro. Find him on Instagram @jeks_nc.)

Ashley Monninger is Director of Marketing and Operations, and a licensed real estate broker/Realtor®, at McKenzie Real Estate in Asheboro. Find her on Instagram @ashley_monninger. Find McKenzie Real Estate @ mckenzierealestateofnc.