Since 2012, you may have passed the vacant, iconic barn building off U.S. 1 in Southern Pines many times. The JFR Barn once served as part of Moore County’s history as a popular fine-dining steakhouse.
Reno and Lynn Rollé have begun restoring The Barn and plan to open it as a new restaurant next year.
“Our vision is to restore The Barn and create something of importance for the community,” said Reno.
For two decades, the Rollés have owned an online retail family business in Southern California called Boku Superfood. They sell superfood powder, proteins, and mushroom blends.
The Rollés and Chef Todd English, who won six James Beard Awards, will offer superfood-infused coffees, teas, smoothies, and café food items in the mornings and afternoons. In the evenings, they will shift the focus to a pizzeria with a salad bar, beer garden, and cocktail bar.
They will transform a portion of the back parking lot into the Barnyard. The Barnyard will be an outdoor dining area with a stage for live music, movies, and more. “We’re planning a beautiful ambient experience outside,” said Reno. “This will be for everyone. The Barn will be kid and pet-friendly.”
There will be a full commercial kitchen for catering and hosting events. Private events will be held upstairs at a later date. The two large brick fireplaces will be cleaned and used to bring back that cozy, warm focal point. The brick floors are being hand-striped with layers of polyurethane added to bring the original floors back to life.
They hope to have an incentive program for children to try their smoothies and superfoods. “We want to make a positive difference in terms of their health and by the foods they eat,” said Reno. “We want to share with people how delicious it can be.”
The Rollé family will be a big part of the business. Their daughter and son-in-law, a retired 82nd Airborne soldier, live in Moore County and work for the company.
One area they want to focus on is a memory wall. They are asking people who have old photos from their time at the JFR Barn to send photos to [email protected] so they can create a wall dedicated to the history of the place. “We’re trying to get as many memories as we can; people are already sharing photos,” said Lynn.
The Barn is scheduled to open in the summer of 2025, just a year before its 50-year anniversary of construction.
You can follow The Barn on Instagram @TheBarnSoPi, on Facebook TheBarnSoPi, or visit their website at www.thebarnsopi.com.
Feature photo: Reno and Lynn Rollé stand outside of the old JFR Barn at 305 Rothney Ave. on Nov. 25.
~Article and photos by Sandhills Sentinel reporter Curtis Self. Curtis has been writing for Sandhills Sentinel since 2019.
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