As restaurant in Nebraska village closes, owner dishes on small-town business challenges

GOEHNER, Neb. (KLKN) — Natty B’s Bar and Grill was opened just over a year ago by a then-hopeful 21-year-old with dreams of giving the small town of Goehner a restaurant that would last.

“Unfortunately, there are a lot of small-town bars and businesses, they’re just not able to get enough business,” Natalie Barrett said. “And so I was really hoping that I could be someone who could step in and hopefully save one.”

But Barrett is closing Saturday and handing over her keys.

She’s sharing about the hardships that small businesses go through in hopes of helping others in her position.

“There were plenty of days where I had a customer or two coming in,” Barrett said. “You just never really knew what was going on, or like what to do.”

She also acknowledged that she experienced self-doubt.

“Being 22 and not having a lot of experience as other restaurant owners … definitely took a toll and was huge in ultimately deciding to leave,” she said.

Barrett recalls many factors leading to this point.

Goehner is a village of about 200 people about 10 miles southwest of Seward.

“It’s incredibly difficult to get staff to drive 15 minutes in any direction at the minimum, so that was probably my biggest struggle, just trying to find staff,” she said.

Staffing wasn’t the only issue. She wishes she paid more attention to marketing and social media, too, to get more people in the door.

Barrett described the situation she was in as a paradox.

“I can only have so many staff on payroll, with the number of customers I have coming,” she said. “And I can’t really bring in any more customers until I have more staff.”

Now, she is turning away from business and looking toward teaching culinary arts at Southeast Community College.

The previous owners left her all of their equipment, and now she’s leaving it behind for the new owners, who will eventually open another restaurant in that space.

She said they already have ties within the community, so she is confident they will succeed.