It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Emerald Isle, NC is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Emerald Isle, NC, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Emerald Isle, NC understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Emerald Isle, NC 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
EMERALD ISLE, N.C. (WITN) - While there was a break from the high humidity on Friday, heat index values are expected in the triple digits next week, and beachgoers are sharing how they stay cool.Brina Grubbs, an Emerald Isle resident, visited the beach in the morning. Yet, with the temperatures rising throughout the day keeping her two toddlers safe is important.“A lot of water, electrolytes, and emergency packets, I mean you have to,” said Grubbs. “We have been making a lot of our own and we’ve been mak...
EMERALD ISLE, N.C. (WITN) - While there was a break from the high humidity on Friday, heat index values are expected in the triple digits next week, and beachgoers are sharing how they stay cool.
Brina Grubbs, an Emerald Isle resident, visited the beach in the morning. Yet, with the temperatures rising throughout the day keeping her two toddlers safe is important.
“A lot of water, electrolytes, and emergency packets, I mean you have to,” said Grubbs. “We have been making a lot of our own and we’ve been making homemade ice cream at home.”
While Anthony Flores lives in Raleigh, he says he visits the beach once a month. He says with the heat on Friday they limit the amount of time spent on the beach.
“We usually come out here for about 4 to 5 hours,” said Flores. “We try to limit it to that because people start getting hungry for more than just fruit and lunch meat.”
A lifeguard at Emerald Isle says there are several ways to stay cool while on the beach, including bringing shade and water. Reid Taylor, who is a lifeguard, says no one has overheated so far this season from the sun.
“It’s getting to that point in the summer,” Taylor told WITN. “The middle of June all the way to late August, when there is no wind out here it feels like it’s 105 degrees.”
While the heat index increases to the triple digits next week, visitors should come prepared to be safe.
“This is our first time here, so we are really excited,” said Brittnay Grant. “We are going to have some fun.”
Taylor wants to remind people to bring sunscreen, water and shade to the beach during the summer months.
The Northern Outer Banks will be at a low risk of rip currents, while the Southern Outer Banks and Crystal Coast beaches have a moderate rip current risk status.
Copyright 2025 WITN. All rights reserved.
EMERALD ISLE, N.C. (WITN) - Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner, which means travel for many, but some may avoid big trips due to economic concerns.AAA says more than 45 million people will travel at least 50 miles from their homes Memorial Day weekend. Christine Fischleine is visiting after graduating from college. She says spending time on the beach means a lot to her.“To me, going to the beach is the place to unwind, and I actually get to relax and free it all.However, tariffs have been a concern for...
EMERALD ISLE, N.C. (WITN) - Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner, which means travel for many, but some may avoid big trips due to economic concerns.
AAA says more than 45 million people will travel at least 50 miles from their homes Memorial Day weekend. Christine Fischleine is visiting after graduating from college. She says spending time on the beach means a lot to her.
“To me, going to the beach is the place to unwind, and I actually get to relax and free it all.
However, tariffs have been a concern for many when it comes to travel. Fischleine says President Donald Trump’s tariffs don’t affect her.
“To me I am going to buy what I want,” said Fischleine. “I am going to have to pay the price one way or the other unfortunately.”
Katrina Brienza works at Emerald Isle Realty. She says they have 700 spots, and booking looks different this year.
“We are seeing an increase in last-minute bookings,” said Brienza. “We are definitely gearing up for a fast and busy Memorial weekend, welcoming a lot of guests. We are going to see the same numbers we are used to, but maybe more.”
While Stuart Pack with Bluewater Realty Emerald Isle says his agency has seen a change, too.
“We are seeing the booking window is shorter, a lot of times it’s less than 30 days before arrival,” said Park.
According to AAA, 1.4 million more Americans will travel domestically this year compared to 2024. The last record was set in 2005 when 44 million people traveled.
Copyright 2025 WITN. All rights reserved.
A swimmer was injured in a suspected shark attack off the North Carolina coast on Wednesday, May 28, officials said.The Sunset Beach Fire Department reported receiving an emergency call around 11:05 a.m. regarding a possible shark bite at Sunset Beach, ABC News reported. According to officials, the swimmer suffered a leg injury near the 31st Street beach access point.&ldq...
A swimmer was injured in a suspected shark attack off the North Carolina coast on Wednesday, May 28, officials said.
The Sunset Beach Fire Department reported receiving an emergency call around 11:05 a.m. regarding a possible shark bite at Sunset Beach, ABC News reported. According to officials, the swimmer suffered a leg injury near the 31st Street beach access point.
“Upon arrival, Beach Rescue personnel provided medical care to the injured swimmer, who was conscious and alert,” Sunset Beach Fire Chief Richard Childres said in a press release.
The swimmer, later identified as Sean Barton, a visitor from New Mexico, received initial treatment at the scene before being transported to a nearby hospital for further evaluation.
“Standing up, I felt something bite down on my calf-shin region, just bite down on my leg, and it let go pretty quickly thereafter,” Barton told WSOC.
Barton received 11 stitches as a result of the bite but is expected to make a full recovery, WSOC reported.
Shark bites don’t happen often in North Carolina, UNC Wilmington marine biology professor Larry Cahoon told The Charlotte Observer.
“They’re pretty rare,” said Cahoon. “We had a spate of them in 2015 when there were about eight of them in the span of three weeks, but that was very unusual.”
Sharks are more likely to go after fish, Cahoon said.
That’s what happened to a dolphin who was seen swimming off the coast of South Carolina in 2021 with a large chunk out of its back — a wound deep enough to expose layers of blubber and pink meat, The News & Observer reported at the time.
In June 2024, a 14-year-old boy was bitten by a shark at North Topsail Beach. Another potential shark-related incident occurred that month, when “some sort of sea life” attacked a swimmer, giving him a serious bite that required a tourniquet.
In 2018, a visitor fishing in the surf at North Carolina’s Outer Banks pulled out a 6-foot hammerhead shark that outweighed him. Earlier that summer, a video went viral showing a 5-foot shark swimming just a few feet away from the shoreline at Emerald Isle.
? One of the best ways swimmers can avoid sharks is by staying away from anglers, Cahoon said.
“Again, sharks are not terribly bright,” he said. “If they’re hungry, they’re going to be less selective about what they try to eat…so it’s a good idea to try and separate people from fishing activity.”
? Cahoon also said sharks are less likely to approach you if you sound big, meaning those who swim completely underwater have less of a chance of getting bitten by a shark versus those who swim on top of it.
“The thrashing and smashing around stuff may, may, to a slight degree, tend to draw them in, but I wouldn’t be terribly worried about that, especially if there’s a lot of people in the water.”
? Swimming alone at night can also present a prime opportunity for sharks to strike, Cahoon said, since they’re more likely to attack when they won’t be seen.
While swimmers always run the risk of shark attacks, there’s good news for scuba divers.
? “Sharks almost never bother scuba divers, because scuba divers, number one, go down in pairs,” Cahoon said. “And they’re big, they make a lot of racket and they tend to go during the day, when visibility is better.”
Staff writer Mark Price contributed to this report.
Have a question about your community you’d like answered? Or maybe a tip or story idea you’d like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you.
WILMINGTON — An expansion of a popular barbecue restaurant and a new taco brand from Emerald Isle restaurateurs will make their way to a growing foodie district in town this month.READ MORE: Popular NC vegan restaurant opening in Cargo DistrictShepard Barbecue and Taco Papi are two of the newest container kitchens slated to open in the Cargo West food co...
WILMINGTON — An expansion of a popular barbecue restaurant and a new taco brand from Emerald Isle restaurateurs will make their way to a growing foodie district in town this month.
READ MORE: Popular NC vegan restaurant opening in Cargo District
Shepard Barbecue and Taco Papi are two of the newest container kitchens slated to open in the Cargo West food court. Owned by Elizabeth and Brandon Shepard, the husband-and-wife team have been running their Emerald Isle barbecue restaurant for five years and are adding to the portfolio upon their arrival in Wilmington.
“We hope to be serving customers in two weeks,” Elizabeth said Wednesday, but it depends on final permitting to get operations up and running.
Shepard Barbecue will open at 11 a.m. for lunch only and follow the same schedule as the Emerald Isle eatery, closing when everything is gone.
“It’s always better to come early,” Elizabeth warned. “Since people are buying up larger quantities, such as quarts of pork and racks of ribs.”
Diners often wrap around the building at their flagship eatery starting at 10 a.m. and by 2 p.m. most days everything is sold out.
Elizabeth said they decided to expand into the Port City, due to it having more of a steady foodie presence year-round. The couple explored other food-hall projects looking to launch locally but she said those felt like “a lot of smoke and mirrors.” When approached by Leslie Smith, developer of the Cargo District, more than a year ago to go into their food hall, the fit seemed natural.
“He’s a man of integrity,” Elizabeth said. “Leslie wants to work with small businesses, like us, that otherwise would not get the opportunity to really expand in an environment that is thriving.”
Cargo West is Wilmington’s first food hall — though it’s more like an outdoor food court with 12 different, mom-and-pop restaurants housed in 8-by-20-foot shipping containers, including now-opened Seoul Sushi, I Love Empanadas, Zeke’s Beans and Bowls, Sinful Cupcakes and Sunset Slush. Mike’s Vegan Grill is opening this weekend and soon after will be Astro Dogs, Copper Penny and Boom Foods.
Elizabeth said they’ve been bowled over already by the local response of Shepard’s Barbecue and Taco Papi’s impending arrival. The two restaurants will operate side by side.
“In one day, we had more people apply and out of those people hired more than we have had in five years of applications at Emerald Isle,” she said.
Originally from the Swansboro and Beaufort areas, the Shepards love the coastal family destination they call home in Emerald Isle and plan to keep the flagship eatery there. It especially does well during summer months as the tourist population balloons to 60,000, though the off-season proves to be a bit more difficult.
“It dwindles to about 3,000,” Elizabeth said.
Shepard Barbecue often truncates hours during the down season, which has proven helpful as they build out their Wilmington locations. Shepard in EI has been closed recently, but reopened this week, with Elizabeth and Brandon making the two-hour commute back and forth.
“The goal is to train everyone and then we will head back to Emerald Isle to finish out the summer,” Elizabeth said. “We do have the building in Emerald Isle for another five-and-a-half years with the option to buy, so we’re not really interested in leaving and want to continue to grow in that area, but we needed something that wasn’t as seasonal.”
Aside from a few tweaks, the Wilmington menu will be similar to the flagship: Texas brisket, ribs, sausage links, and carved turkey breast — which Brandon has called a “hidden gem,” as featured on PBS. Of course, there is also pulled pork, made from whole hogs cooking for 10 hours. It’s served in traditional Eastern-style North Carolina flavor, essentially meaning topped with vinegar sauce.
The key to good barbecue, according to the Shepards, is ensuring it’s wood-fired; Brandon uses hard oak and pecan but never gas- or electric-assist. Some of the meats can take up to 18 hours to prepare.
All sauces are homemade as well. Recently, the crew showcased a honey-guava chili pepper sauce, made with Red Clay chili crisp, at Wilmington’s food festival, Feast. The Shepards have taken their food on the road to other festivals nationwide, such as Stagecoach Country Music Festival in California and Miami’s South Beach Wine and Food Festival.
Their menu also boasts homemade sides, like mac ‘n’ cheese (and pimento mac), beans, street corn, potato salad, coleslaw and Helen’s collards — made in homage to Brandon’s grandmother’s recipe.
The latter was praised on Food Network’s “Diners, Dine-Ins and Drives” in 2022, wherein host Guy Fieri called Helen’s greens the best he ever tasted. Elizabeth said being featured on “Triple D” has resulted in a close-knit relationship with Fieri, who even had the Shepards cater his personal family reunion on the island once the cameras stopped rolling.
“After we cooked, Guy had us sit down with him at his table and spent the next four hours giving us the most amazing contacts, and genuinely wanting our business to succeed and sharing do’s and dont’s,” she said, adding it was Fieri who invited them to Stagecoach and the South Beach festivals. “He’s reached out multiple times to my husband just to stay in touch, check in and see how everything is going.”
Brandon’s love for barbecue began in youth with family and friends often gathering around the grill. He eventually became a chef and met Elizabeth at a casual-fine dining restaurant in Emerald Isle. Almost a decade ago, they were driving to Raleigh and questioned why they weren’t working for themselves, with Elizabeth having a love for front-of-the-house operations and Brandon thriving in the kitchen.
The two decided to start a food truck, Urban Street Eats, in 2016, with a focus on global street food and would travel into the tri-county region and Raleigh to peddle their eats to more masses. Two years later, they opened a juice bar and poke bowl spot, Nourish, in Emerald Isle, which also worked as the commissary kitchen for the food truck. Though Nourish did well, the couple found themselves pivoting in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
“In March of the Covid kick-off, as I like to call it, our engine blew up,” she said. “Juice bar and poke bowls are great for summer, but our dynamic of the island changed from families there for a week to families there for months and people were looking for large, bulk pick-up orders.”
The Shepards had begun plans to open Shepard Barbecue in a neighboring town but were running into hangups and bureaucratic red tape. In a last-minute switch of plans, Shepard Barbecue opened in place of Nourish on Emerald Isle and has garnered fans ever since. Elizabeth said the secret to their success has been serving approachable, affordable, quality food.
“And our community really rallied behind us,” she added, noting they were the ones who pushed for Shepard Barbecue to be featured on “Triple D.”
The Wilmington menu will pretty much mirror Emerald Isle, though with some specials rotating in and out. The crew has been playing with beef cheeks recently and often do beef ribs as well.
“It really depends on what sells the most and how much room is on the smoker,” Elizabeth said. “You have to be mindful of how much space you allot to each protein.”
Next door to Shepard Barbecue will be Taco Papi, a new venture. It will serve Oaxacan-style street tacos, also stuffed with varied smoked proteins such as beef, chicken and pork. The tortillas will be made with Oaxacan corn shipped from Mexico.
“I believe Brandon’s secret love is tacos and he’s been cooking them forever, but really focused on them in the last 10 years on our food truck,” Elizabeth said. “He loves bringing things to the next level through sauces and cooking techniques.”
When the food truck was operational, they were serving traditional tacos but also breakfast varieties, as well as adventurous handhelds like duck, fig and potatoes. The Taco Papi menu is still being worked out according to Elizabeth, but the Shepards have been hosting pop-ups for the new eatery at Concept Kitchen Co. in the Cargo District’s End of Days Distillery while undergoing construction on their new restaurants in the last year-and-a-half. So some items featured there may make an appearance as well.
Taco Papi will open for lunch and dinner.
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