Last Tuesday, Nov. 16, the family of the original Barefoot owners, the Herters, stopped by the newly opened restaurant that is carrying on the namesake in Hardin. Pictured from left to right: Al and Diane Herter of Wright City, Mo. and Fred Herter of South Calhoun. (Submitted photo)
By Carissa Sitki
Last Tuesday, Nov. 16, the family of the original Barefoot owners, the Herters, stopped by the newly re-opened restaurant that is carrying on the namesake in Hardin.
The Barefoot was started in the early 1980s by the Ed and Bill Herter families and it made a name for itself in the community as “the place to go for great catfish and burgers.” The restaurant closed down in 2019 due to the floods and was unable to open back up at their original location across from Calhoun High School. The Barefoot was then purchased in the fall of 2021 by siblings Brian Matthews and Kelly Sievers along with Kelly’s husband, Phil Sievers.
The Barefoot reopened in a new location, 106 N. Water St. in Hardin, this fall and has already been re-embraced by the community that loved the restaurant for so many years. Much of the menu has remained the same and the Herters have given the eatery their approval
“The new Barefoot has a great menu and carried on the tradition of the wonderfull catfish, very clean restrooms, spacious seating plus a spectacular view of the river,” said Al Herter. “Great job Barefoot!”
Visiting the restaurant last week as “food critics” were Al and Diane Herter of Wright City, Mo. and Fred Herter of South Calhoun.
