Bedford’s NextDoor is a gathering place with great food
Haley Feaster came back to her hometown of Bedford after moving away, calling it a “unicorn of a location.” Photo: Provided.
“I’m running next door!” You’ve undoubtedly used the phrase countless times in your life. The play on words is what Haley Feaster had in mind when teaming up with business partners, Stefano & Davide Ferrari to brand their ultra-hip café NextDoor.
NextDoor offers international, all-day cuisine focusing on healthy and sustainable options. The café is the little sister to LifeStyle, which boasts a family-style Italian living experience and is situated… next door. Both have created a welcoming gathering place that must be experienced to be fully appreciated.
Startup Alleghenies coach Jen Marsh has played an integral role in supporting Feaster and her business partners. “Jen is super passionate and excels at what she does. She has helped shine the spotlight on small businesses in a big way,” Feaster shared. “We are always included on walking tours, connected with interviews and resources, and she is always available if we need help.”
NextDoor combines a welcoming gathering place with great food. Photo: Provided.
“NextDoor is this coffee bar/restaurant with a tangible vibe of coolness!” Marsh said. “Haley is a successful entrepreneur, mentor to other female entrepreneurs and what I consider a leader in our community.”
Feaster is a Bedford boomerang. She grew up there and moved on to big city life only to find herself back in her hometown. “The algorithm of Bedford is a destination town with a thoughtful eye on the historic footprint. I am so excited to be owning a business and living in my hometown,” she said.
“Bedford is such a unicorn of a location—it’s an outdoor lover’s paradise. There is plenty to do here, and every season changes those opportunities,” she explained. “We are a tourist destination with a small-town feel, bringing people in from all over.”
“NextDoor is this coffee bar/restaurant with a tangible vibe of coolness!” Marsh said. “Haley is a successful entrepreneur, mentor to other female entrepreneurs and what I consider a leader in our community.”
Feaster said that passion is at the core of what she does. “We have a great team. It is a mix of really passionate people with very different backgrounds and skillsets, transferring that to working toward a common vision,” she said.
Collaborating and connections are key ingredients to small business success. Feaster thrives on cultivating meaningful relationships in her community. “Collaboration is so much greater than competition,” she said. “When one of us is winning, we are all winning.”
“I am so excited to be owning a business and living in my hometown,” she said. Photo: Provided.
Featuring a maker in the window—allowing customers to shop other small businesses while they eat, an upcoming Galentine’s PJ Party collab with Aesthetics by Kell and the award-winning NextDoor Lemon~Lavendar sour beer from Olde Bedford Brewing Company are some examples of how Feaster is supporting other small businesses in the Alleghenies.
What’s next? Feaster is joining business partners Bill Pratt and Mark Moschella to enter the brewery space this spring. Wild Brewing Co will combine beautiful outdoor and recreational opportunities in the Alleghenies with LIFeSTYLE-level food.
As a small business owner, it can feel like you’re burning from both ends. Feaster offers this advice—“Try to find a way to ignite your inspiration day in and day out… and hire staff you trust so you can get days off.”
Photo: Provided.
Startup Alleghenies helps startup and emerging small businesses succeed by providing free coaching to entrepreneurs in Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset counties. To access personal, one-on-one support from a coach in your county, including guidance, resources, tools and networking opportunities, sign up at startupalleghenies.com.
