Anne Gorton has a history of serving the public with 17 years of work with non-profit organization Outward Bound NC and five years of teaching public education under her belt. Shortly after beginning work at our partner restaurant, Black Sheep, Anne fell in love with Beaufort, NC and decided our small beach town is where she wanted to stay. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced brick and mortar shops to temporarily close down, the restaurant turned to our local farmers markets which is where Anne found there to be a need for a shop that provided grab-and-go foods and snacks not just during lockdown. As she had been seeking a creative outlet, starting her own convenient boutique seemed to be the obvious next step! This idea grew into a beautiful vision of a one-stop-shop for curated wine, gourmet eats, and thoughtful gifts. While planning the details, a friend of hers from New York gave her the brilliant idea to name the store the "Beaudega": a multilayered play on words suggesting Southern-style beauty merged with the traditional convenience stores of New York and the small wine shops in Spain. The Beaudega opened in September 2021 and continues to provide Beaufort with tasty provisions, NC-made goods, and elevated coastal essentials.