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The Early Bird Gets the Worm
Looking for a delicious hot drink? Alamance County hosts dozens of delightful coffee shops ready to fulfill all your needs.
The Lily Barn
After the death of a beloved pet, one woman turned tragedy into triumph by building a beloved Burlington business.
Recipe of the Month
What’s cooking this month? Chocolate chip cookies perfect for potlucks and other events.
Monthly Events Calendar
There’s always something fun going on in Alamance County for residents to take part in.
Salvation Coffee Co. | Burlington
A veteran-owned establishment, Salvation Coffee Company blends passion and craftsmanship to serve coffee with a sense of purpose by honoring those who served the nation.
Bigby Coffee | Burlington
A shop serving coffee, specialty drinks, creme freeze smoothies, tea lattes and more. Have fun, make friends and drink great coffee at Bigby coffee.
Filament | Mebane
Filament curates a new coffee shop experience where faces are remembered and makers are celebrated. The shop offers local coffee and tea and a retail experience highlighting local artists.
Press | Graham
Press is a European-inspired coffee shop offering high-quality beverages served alonside a changing menu focused on locally-sourced ingredients.
Cup 22 | Saxapahaw
Cup 22 is a beautiful riverside coffee shop selling gourmet coffee and teas, espresso-based beverages and tasty frappucinos.
Need a morning pick-me-up? Stop by one of these local coffee shops.
Things Above | Graham
Things Above is a coffee and Christian book shop offering coffee, teas and smoothies. Located in the heart of downtown Graham, this shop offers a quiet outdoor seating space.
The Daily Grind | Burlington
Located just off of Interstate 40, this shop serves locally-roasted coffee and hand-crafted pastries. Its calm, quiet
Burlington native Megan Perry started a new business after the death of her beloved dog.
Written by Payton Wilkins
On June 3, 2022, a young mother’s dream of owning a small business came true with the delivery of the shed that would serve as her tiny storefront. It was one of the hardest days of Megan Perry’s life.
Just hours after the shed was delivered, Lily, the Perry family’s belove boxer of almost 11 years, succumbed to illness at her home. The couple said their goodbyes and watched as the vet injected Lily with the drug that would put her to sleep for the final time.
“She’s been gone for almost three years,” Megan said. “I really don’t know why I still cry about it, but we were just so attached.”
The last thing on her mind was getting her new business off the ground.
Megan and her then-boyfriend, Zack Perry,
adopted Lily in 2011. The couple had just moved in together and wanted a pet to keep them company. Lily wasn’t the angelic puppy they hoped she would be. Getting used to her was hard.
“She was about near impossible,” Megan said. “She was very stubborn; she didn’t listen, and she was a terrible puppy.”
Although the adjustment period seemed to last forever, Megan, Zack and Lily became a family as time went on. Zack, a tall, gruff-looking man with a brown beard and a kind smile, described his relationship with Lily as one that was love-hate.
“Nah, there wasn’t no hate,” he reconsidered with a chuckle.
When Lily was diagnosed with cancer in early 2022, the family was devastated. Megan needed a new project to distract her from the
sadness of watching Lily rapidly deteriorate.
“When she was sick, something came over me,” Megan said. “Zack thought I was insane. I said, ‘No, I have a good feeling about this.’”
The store would be called the Lily Barn, in honor of the terrible puppy who became the most loyal companion. The idea of opening a store and event venue had been in Megan’s head for years, but the time never seemed right. With Lily’s death, Megan realized that life was short. She quit her full-time job to pursue the Lily Barn.
“It was a big risk, but it’s working out,” Zack said.
continued to run beside the golf cart every day until her legs gave out, right up until the day she passed away. Lily never gave up, and neither would Megan. Even as she began holding liquidation sales, she prayed something would change.
Then, a customer requested 30 custom T-shirts. Megan had found her new business model. Only three months after switching her focus to custom shirts, Megan has hired three new team members and made more than 3,000 shirts.
“Hey y’all, welcome to the Lily Barn.”
Megan filled the Lily Barn with products customers would enjoy and began hosting markets featuring local vendors.
Two years and 32 events later, the Barn has amassed more than 3,100 Facebook followers. On event days, customers stroll leisurely through the vendor tents and in and out of the Barn, welcomed by Megan’s friendly voice saying, “Hey y’all, welcome to the Lily Barn.”
“When people tell me that it’s like a family — we welcome everybody in, we treat you good and when you leave here, you feel like you’ve been part of the family, that’s what I want,” Megan said.
Even with all the time, money and effort the family put into the business, the Lily Barn was almost forced to close in July 2024 due to a tanking economy and lack of profit.
But Megan kept working. She thought about Lily, who
“I remember on one of the first days I was working, Megan told me that she would never make shirts, which I think is kind of funny because now that’s what she specializes in,” said Christy Perry, a Lily Barn team member and family friend of Megan.
With renewed faith in her business, Megan can’t help but think of Lily at every market she hosts. Lily Barn shoppers would have loved meeting the faithful companion the Barn is named after.
Lily’s memory lingers with Megan at each event she hosts. When she looks back on that beautiful and terrible day in June 2022, Megan wonders where she’d be if she had never had a Lily to love.
“She was a horrible puppy, but she was an amazing dog,” she said.
Chocolate
Ingredients
• 3/4 cup softened salted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flower
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips
Baking Instructions
• Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit
• Using a stand or electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
• Scrape the sides of the bowl and add in the egg and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
• Add in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until a soft dough forms.
• Fold in the chocolate chips using a spatula.
• Scoop the dough out into 2 tbsp portions on a greased or nonstick cookie sheet.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool and enjoy!
January
February
