The couple loves to tell stories about people for whom Headframe has special meaning, whether it’s a story about a couple who met in the tasting room and got engaged at Headframe a year later or social media followers who cheered the company on through both successes and failures.

When asked what it takes to be a successful small business in Butte, John said it takes more than a field-of-dreams mentality of “if you build it they will come.”

It’s not enough to renovate a building and stock its shelves. One also has to engage with the community, he said, and demonstrate a willingness to seek out the help and wisdom of others.

“Just be authentic,” he said. “People who believe in their project are ultimately successful in Butte. People who don’t, or people who swing in and hammer out a buck and get back out the door again (are less so).”

He and Courtney added that choosing a good location, understanding your customer base and not being afraid to ask questions are also key.

In all, the couple said that what they do at Headframe Spirits is not so much selling products as it is rewriting the narrative of Butte.

“When we talk about our branded product (on social media,) what we’re doing is telling great stories of our little corner of the world. We put those stories into a bottle and we get to share that with a much larger audience, and that’s a pretty special thing,” Courtney said.

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