Barefoots Birthday Bash: Celebrating Past And Future

On Wednesday, March 1, Union’s very own Barefoots Joe hosted a day-long “Barefoots Birthday Boba Bash” with bright decorations and discounted merchandise as well as boba tea in honor of the coffee shop’s 15th anniversary.

The shop tipped a hat to many bands that performed at the venue in the past by displaying posters saved throughout the years. As a further tribute, Barefoots director Karis Murila designed a T-shirt naming each band, highlighting “over fifty shows since 2008” in bold letters.

“We’ve been wanting to generate interest in the concerts,” Murila said. “We wanted to show that there is a really cool history of the bands that have played here. People don’t realize that.”

Thanks to Murila, the idea for a birthday party was put into motion, and soon it gained excitement from the students. Barefoots has been a constant presence for many students through their college years, but very few know the true history behind the shop’s existence.

“This room was a recreation room,” Murila said. “It had pool tables and ping pong tables and ugly carpet. People didn’t really spend time here. So, there was a group of students who said ‘this space would be fantastic for a coffee shop.’ But we didn’t have the money.”

The tornado of February 2008 hit very soon after students proposed the idea. Students were spread far and wide across Jackson, and the community of Union was suffering. Murila highlighted how the former dean of students, Kimberly Thornbury, and professor Joy Moore collaborated to make the coffee shop a reality. 

“Within the first few months, they had their first show because it was important to them that they weren’t just a business, but also a venue for the arts,” Murila said. “Which is why we always have art up on the walls. That’s very much a part of the mission and always has been.”

Keeping with the theme of the Barefoot Student Union building where the shop was located, students decided to name it “Barefoots Joe” after former Union president Hyran Barefoot. Barefoots quickly became known for its art displays, many of which have been created by Union students.

“The first art show that was ever up were pictures of the aftermath of the tornado and so they were up against that wall,” Murila said. “The last thing you could look at out that window was the construction of the quads. It was like ‘here is the future picture.’”

The picture described was soon a reality. Alongside customers, baristas have enjoyed the social aspect of the job as well as getting to learn how to create coffee masterpieces.

“You meet so much of the student body and the professors that you wouldn’t otherwise. It’s a wonderful, supportive group of people,” Adah Davis, sophomore cellular and molecular biology major as well as Barefoots barista, said. “We put a lot of effort into the coffee and where we source it from and how it’s made.”

While Barefoots has stood the test of time through the 15 years, Murila commented that there is still progress to be made. 

“This furniture has been around for fifteen years. So there are a lot of changes I want to make to furniture and rearranging things,” Murila said. “I want the space to be utilized well. Right now it’s functional, but a lot of brown and black. I think there are gains to be made.”

Murila’s plan seemed to follow a gradual alteration rather than drastically renovating the space overnight.

“I don’t want to go in and you suddenly walk into Barefoots and are like ‘I’ve never been here before,’” she said. “Slow and steady.”

Photo by Laila Al-Hagal