Union University’s Barefoots coffee shop saw more than just a flood of new students at the beginning of August, 2023. Rather than continuing to be called “Barefoots Joe,” the shop name was simplified to “Barefoots,” continuing to honor former president Dr. Hyran Barefoot. What began as only a name and brand shift soon became a renovation of the entire shop, complete with new furniture and other decorations.
“It was almost like in the movies where there’s a kid who’s at the top of a snow-covered hill and then he trips and the snowball keeps getting bigger and bigger,” Karis Murila, Barefoots’s director and mastermind behind the revamp, said. “By the end of it, there’s a massive snowball, and that’s what happened.”
Murila explained that the movement of the venue’s soundbooth led to creating conversation pits and sprinkling community-style tables throughout the space. The beginning of all of these changes arose from Murila’s desire to simplify the name and redesign a more merchandise-friendly logo.
“The main driver was that [the name] Barefoots Joe was confusing to some people and it was a pain to put on shirts or figure out spacing,” Murila said, “so I sent my brother a logo that I had made and he said ‘I can do this better.’”
The new logo features a bowtie, tipping a hat to Dr. Barefoot’s fashion choices, and at the center there is a coffee bean. The loops of the tie are accented by three lines on each side. This reference is dedicated to the wooden accents near the new menu board that follows the same design.
Murila noted that each of the improvements were supported by friends and coworkers throughout the process.
“It was really sweet,” Murila said. “My husband says I think I’m a Marvel character because I think I can do everything. Originally I was gonna do all of this myself which was obviously unrealistic. So then, it was really cool seeing who stepped in.”
Murila was supported by her husband, her brother and his wife, the baristas at Barefoots and Union’s own Stephanie Hawley and Fran Thomas.
“That was what Barefoots started as,” Murila said. “It was a community, students, faculty, staff and people from all over helping to build it. It just felt like a continuation of that legacy.”
Sarah Edgren, senior psychology and family studies major at Union and barista for the last two years, shared similar sentiments.
“I feel like it invites more people in and there’s more spots and little nooks for people to be in,” Edgren said. “Initially, I felt a little weird about it because it’s my senior year and it’s always been the same way. But I feel like I’ve grown to really appreciate it and it looks really nice.”
Edgren wasn’t alone in feeling slightly hesitant toward the changes. Murila noted that change often comes with some form of friction. Even with such worries, Murila received overwhelmingly positive feedback, not only from students but also from Professor Joy Moore, former director of Barefoots.
“It made me feel so great when Professor Moore came in on the first day of school and she looked around,” Murila said. “I was afraid that she was going to be like ‘you changed things’ because she had been here before me. But she was so excited and she loved it.”
Edgren echoed Murila’s thoughts on viewing the renovations with a positive outlook.
“Karis loves to change things, which is fun. It keeps life interesting,” Edgren said. “Change can be good. It doesn’t have to be bad. I see it as negative most of the time but there can be a lot of good in it and this can be a nice little lesson in that.”
To learn more about Barefoots, visit: https://www.uu.edu/barefootsjoe/
