Bob and Kathy Hykes have been instrumental in bringing North Carolina’s first cooperative brewery to fruition in Downtown Burlington. Bob and Kathy personally invested in the Burlington Beer Works building, which was the driving force for construction to begin after years of grassroots fundraising. Once the massive construction project on the building got underway, Bob used his years of experience to oversee the project on behalf of the Burlington Beer Works Board of Directors. On any given day during construction, Bob could be found pulling nails, hauling wood, and getting his hands dirty.
Over the years, Bob and Kathy rarely missed a downtown function and have given countless hours of their time to be a part of the community through mentoring, financial resources, and heavy lifting. Their unwavering dedication to downtown has been invaluable for numerous business owners, the City of Burlington, and the Burlington Downtown Corporation, making them our North Carolina Main Street Champions. Today we proudly honor Kathy and remember Bob.