Michael Barefoot was a foodie before being a foodie was cool.
When he opened the doors of A Southern Season for the first time in 1975, he brought a passion for specialty food before that term even existed.
His love of rare food caught on — and on August 1, Barefoot sold A Southern Season to a group of investors with plans to eventually expand the brand throughout the Southeast.
Barefoot said the sale was a big development for a store he never expected to move beyond its original 800-square-foot location and practically unheard-of mission.
“At that time, any cheese besides cheddar was hard to find,” Barefoot said.
He said the store has grown organically with customer demand — and today, besides a 60,000-square-foot University Mall location, the store also offers a catalog and bustling online business.
Brian Fauver, one of the investors, said more changes are coming to the store under the new ownership, including an improved website and a return to old uniforms. But he said the overall feel of the store will remain.
Deciding to sell
Barefoot said A Southern Season has realized all of his hopes for the shop he calls his “baby” — and the time has come for him to make an exit.