Bruce Julian, a second-generation haberdasher known for his Southern gentlemen's shops in Chapel Hill and Charlotte, began mixing Bloody Marys for customers about two decades ago. The cocktail -- served from an imported English pub bar nestled between racks of tailored jackets and patterned ties -- quickly became part of the store's charm.
"It was just to pour at the store," said Bonnie Julian, Bruce's wife. "You go to the store, you listen to music and buy great clothes and you drink a great, great cocktail."
The mix proved so popular that the Julians began taking it on the road. While traveling to textile shows in Europe, Bonnie served the same drink to international guests.
"We are in Europe at textile shows entertaining guests with the same Bloody Mary mix, and people would say, 'You should sell this. This is wonderful,'" she said.
That encouragement pushed Bonnie to consider turning the store staple into a standalone business. She approached family friend and future business partner Paul Raybin with the idea.
"It wasn't a conversation," Raybin said. "It was, 'I'm in.'"
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By 2014, the pair launched Bruce Julian Heritage Foods. What began with three products has since expanded into a full line of cocktail mixes, glass rimmers, pickled vegetables, margarita blends and specialty snacks.
"Now we've got 60 products in stores all over the United States," Raybin said.
One of its top sellers, a savory snack blend called "Couch Mix," got its name in an offhand moment in the kitchen.
"We started laughing," Bonnie said. "This is perfect. If you're really honest, you want to be on the couch with a good snack and a good cocktail."
As for what makes their signature Bloody Mary mix stand out, Bonnie and Raybin keep that mostly under wraps.
"Well, that's secret," Bonnie said with a laugh. "We get asked all the time. I think Paul's response is, we'd have to shoot you if we told you."
The company does offer a few hints: the mix is made with real juice, contains no high fructose corn syrup or dyes and is marketed as the lowest sodium Bloody Mary mix available.
What started as a simple courtesy to shoppers has become a thriving North Carolina-made brand -- one stirred, mixed and poured from behind a clothing store bar.
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