DURHAM, N.C. — North Carolina consistently maintains its reputation as a top location for business, with CNBC again ranking it No. 1 in the nation, and the state continues to be friendly for small businesses. 

Zoey Best and her husband own and operate Da Kine’s Kava – a non-alcoholic bar in Durham. Theirs is the only business of its kind in the city, and they saw the opportunity to fill a need in an area they loved. 

“We had a bit of a hard time gaining traction in the beginning," Best said. “Banks, real estate agents all didn't really understand the concept. They were like, ‘No one's going to come to a non-alcoholic bar. We're not going to help you.’”

Zoey Best makes a drink behind the bar at Da Kine's Kava. (Spectrum News 1/Rachel Boyd)

They had never owned a small business prior to this and upon finally opening in 2020, they faced an immediate uphill battle.

“We realized that it was either going to be the dumbest thing we'd ever done or the smartest, and we were just going to go for it and see what happened,” Best said. “For the first 10 months, it was just me and my husband doing all of the work. So we were bartending, we were managing, we were doing the legal, we were doing the financial, we were everything.”

Although operating a small business is no easy task, North Carolina has seen a record number of new small businesses open in the past two years. Best said the value and personal touch of a small business is what’s kept them in it even during their hardest days.

“Every now and then I get to hear someone's story about how we've helped them, about how this place is so amazing, how it has really benefited them in their lives and then I'm like, ‘Oh, yes, that's why we still do this!’” Best said.

Best makes a drink for a customer at Da Kine's Kava in Durham. (Spectrum News 1/Rachel Boyd)

She said running a small business means taking calculated risks, but Da Kine’s Kava is proof those risks can pay off in the form of loyal customers.

“We really care about the people that come to our store, and we know their stories, and we know their lives, and we know their hardships, and we all share with each other,” Best said. “This business is much more than just selling products, it's about the community. And you know, I just don't think that's something that a larger corporation or a business can have.”

Best said they’re considering starting other small business ventures — with the caveat that all of them will be in North Carolina for one simple reason: the community.

“And that sense of camaraderie and support is what keeps us going here, and we knew that we were going to be able to find it here in North Carolina, in Durham especially,” Best said.