Daily Inspiration: Meet Jules Showalter

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jules Showalter.

Hi Jules, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Owning the original Ebb & Flo’s, now Jules’ Salty Grub & Island Pub, on Bald Head Island was a dream for a long time. Originally from Pennsylvania, my then-husband Dave Showalter and I came to Bald Head Island in 2000 and immediately fell in love. I longed for a place with no stoplights and no fast food so we could truly relax and escape the stresses of everyday life. Our family purchased a lot and started our dream of building a home on this perfect Island escape. Our five children have grown up on Bald Head, where most of their best friends have resulted from, and, in fact, many of them are attending the same college together.

Bald Head became home to us. Our daughter Sophia met her boyfriend, Edward, here in the summer of her junior year of high school, and they are now in their junior year of college together. Our families have become very close and spend much time together on and off the Island. Bald Head Island cultivates relationships based on people, not status or social rank.

In 2018, I was sitting on East Beach with two friends and heard that the restaurant was for sale on the hush-hush. I got up and left in a hurry to run home to tell my then-husband, Dave, we needed to buy it. He said I was crazy and thus began the long exploration into owning this iconic restaurant on a beloved Island. We closed on the business in October 2019, shortly before the COVID pandemic hit, and survived by alternative and limited hospitality protocols. Owning a restaurant on a barrier Island serviced by boats, barges, and a ferry system is not without its challenges, but luckily, good solid relationships and learning how to navigate unique circumstances have helped us to keep our business strong and prosperable. I earned my USCG OUPV 6-pack Captain’s license this past fall, which allows me to transport my employees to and from the Island on our own schedule; riding the ‘Pour Decision Chaser’ in the morning is one of my employees’ favorite time of the day.

Bald Head Island is a special place, and owing Jules’ Salty Grub & Island Pub has been a privilege for us. Dave Showalter and I are co-owners and work together to provide a welcoming hospitality hub for our locals, owners, and Island guests. Often, we see the same people eating with us 3-4 times a week on their vacation. I am a working owner, working alongside my employees in several capacities, from bussing tables to hostesses, bartenders, and servers. My favorite time of the week is our Friday night Karaokes, where we pack the house to find the latest ‘Island Idol’ star! I love welcoming guests back to the Island and pride myself on kindness and welcoming Southern hospitality. I am also active in the Bald Head Island community, serving on our Village Chapel Trustee Board, the Old Baldy Foundation, and an active member of both the Bald Head Island and Shoals Club. Bald Head is home to me, and I love that every day, the ‘office’ is in the harbor front of such a beautiful piece of our excellent state of North Carolina.

Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
They own a restaurant on an island, and they said it would be fun, hahaha. If someone had told me that covid would hit and the world would shut down, I would not have believed it for a minute, but that is exactly what happened. Unfortunately, panic set in, and as the world around us was shutting down, so was our little Island escape. We were forced to shut down for approximately 11 weeks, but when it was time to re-open, we did so with COVID protocols and limited responsible hospitality. We got two rounds of PPP money and an ERTC credit. Another challenge is staffing, especially after COVID-19, but also being located on a barrier island that is only accessible by ferry or personal boat, making it hard to staff appropriately. Wages are higher on Bald Head Island, and hiring people who understand the island’s culture can sometimes take work. I have a good, solid year-round staff, and I am fortunate with these people. Another issue is when the weather prohibits the barge from running, and our supplies, food, wine, beer, etc., are stuck on the other side; it can be frustrating at times, but we have learned alternative ways to navigate that. One last challenge is that everyone coming to Bald Head Island thinks it’s like a fantasy island and needs to understand that we are still part of the state of North Carolina and that all the same rules of the mainland apply to the island.

Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
After graduating from Wilson College in 1994, I began my career in politics and political fundraising. I then returned to my alma mater to join the alumnae department as an educational fundraiser and relationship builder. I have always been a people person and enjoy getting to know people. I am very good at relationship-building and connecting people. Eventually, I moved on and earned a Master’s Degree in Communications and was an adjunct professor in the public relations and media tract. I was married, started building my family, and decided to stay home and be with my children instead of pursuing my career. During the 14 years I was home, none of which I regret, I was very active in my local Mom’s Club, my children’s schools, and sports activities, and I volunteered within my church in outreach and homeless ministry. I also had a small photography business and helped my ex-husband build relationships within his telecommunications business. Owning Jules’ Salty Grub & Island Pub was an easy fit for me because the restaurant had a solid Chef and menu already and was established; my goal was to foster my relationships on the island and, grow my business accordingly and transform it into my hub of hospitality to support and enhance what the island was already offering to its people.

What matters most to you? Why?
The most important thing for me is to service the Bald Head Island community with kindness, friendly staff, good food, and a welcoming atmosphere. Looking around my bar and seeing it full of locals and friends makes me happy. I am a Christian, and God placed me here for several reasons. I am doing my best to follow His guidance, plan, and serve the Lord through hospitality. I am also responsible for my staff’s livelihood and care about them; I feel a great responsibility for the people who work for me and with me, keeping in mind that this is a business, and we have to operate as such.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.julessaltygrubbhi.com
• Instagram: julessaltygrubislandpub
• Facebook: Jules’ Salty Grub & Islande Pub

Image Credits
Jules Showalter