On Wednesday from 7-9 p.m., the Greenbriar Theatre in the Plemmons Student Union hosted a documentary and panel discussion about FARM Cafe, a restaurant and community center on King Street that has been at the core of downtown Boone’s culture since its opening in 2012.

The documentary was directed and produced by Beth Davison, a professor of interdisciplinary studies at App State. It originally premiered in 2022 at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum to celebrate the cafe’s tenth anniversary. The film features the story of the restaurant’s founding, their principles and interviews with employees and customers. The panel featured Davison and Renee Boughman, the founder of the Cafe.

“She’s been a part of the cafe from the beginning,” Boughman said.

Davison, who served as president of the cafe’s board of executives, was able to tell a complex and detailed story of the cafe because of her experience with it.

FARM Cafe’s acronym stands for “Feed All Regardless of Means.” This idea has guided their business from the beginning. They feed anyone who enters the cafe, no questions asked. Donations are encouraged, but they operate on a policy of paying what you can.

This allows a rare opportunity for students and underprivileged members of the community to interact one-on-one, breaking down the divide between the university and the town of Boone.

According to an impact report from FARM Cafe, over $46,000 worth of meals were given to community members at no charge in 2023, and a total of 18,967 meals were served.

Boughman said one of the future goals of the cafe is to start a podcast that covers other cafes around the country that share the same business model.