Staying Rooted Through Growth (The Wrigley Appalachian Eatery)

In this Main Street Business Insights episode, Matt sat down with Kristin Smith, chef and proprietor of The Wrigley Appalachian Eatery in Corbin, Kentucky. As a fourth-generation Appalachian Main Street merchant partnered with a strong passion for the local food movement, Kristin began her path to entrepreneurship by working at her family farm selling heritage pork and dry-aged beef at the local farmer's market (which she also helped found along with a group of local women). The products were slow to sell, so Kristin began cooking the meat at the market to offer patrons a taste. Before long, the prepared food was far outselling the packaged products. When a historic property in downtown Corbin became available, Kristin knew it was time to move into a brick-and-mortar space. Since launching The Wrigley, the business has been featured in Time Magazine and The Food Network, and Kristin landed a spot on James Beard Foundation’s Women Entrepreneurial Leadership group in 2023. But outside of the national acclaim they’ve received, Kristin and her team’s primary objective is to stay rooted in their local community. In their conversation, Kristin talks about her deep roots in Appalachia and small-town business ownership, her strong belief in authentic community building, and why she’s saying “no” more often. Further Reading: The Wrigley Taproom & Eatery | James Beard Foundation Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership | Downtown Corbin | Kentucky Main Street