Today we’d like to introduce you to Nathan Trivers.
Nathan, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve been in the food and beverage industry since around 1990 or 1991, and owning a restaurant was always the dream. It took a lot of years, hard work, and patience before that opportunity finally came along.
In 2010, I met the right person at the right time, which led me to a corner space in Point Richmond, California, where I opened The Up & Under Pub. Looking back, it wasn’t exactly the ideal time to start a business. The economy was struggling, and there was a lot of uncertainty, but I believed in what we were building and decided to take the chance anyway.
The pub ended up becoming exactly what I had hoped it would be. It wasn’t just a place to grab a meal or a beer. It became part of the neighborhood. We watched people celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and graduations. We saw friendships grow, families gather, and regulars become lifelong friends. That’s what I’ve always loved most about hospitality. Food brings people in, but it’s the connections that keep them coming back.
After many successful years in California, my wife and I were ready for a different pace of life, so we made the move to Southern Oregon. Our first chapter here wasn’t another restaurant. It was Black Barn Farm. We started growing produce, raising animals, and selling at local farmers markets. It gave us a whole new appreciation for where food comes from and the incredible farming community here in the Rogue Valley.
That eventually led to another opportunity when we partnered with Rogue Ales to provide the food for their beer garden. It was a fun chapter that helped us become part of the local food scene, but before long another opportunity came along that was simply too good to pass up.
In 2024, we took over the old Schoolhouse Restaurant and opened Black Barn Kitchen. It felt like everything we’d done up to that point had been preparing us for it. We were able to combine years of restaurant experience with everything we’d learned from farming and sourcing locally. Then, in 2025, we opened Black Barn Deli, which was another dream of mine. I’ve always loved delis, and there really wasn’t one serving our immediate community, so it felt like we were filling a need while building something we’d always wanted ourselves.
The one thing that’s been consistent through every chapter is that I’ve always believed food is about taking care of people. That’s probably why the Black Barn Go Program means so much to me. It actually started pretty simply. We’d pool money with friends and family, add our own, cook Thanksgiving meals, and work with organizations like Rogue Retreat, ACCESS, Rogue Community Health, Williams Grange, Hawthorne Park Potluck, and others to get those meals to people who needed them.
Every year, I kept thinking, “How do we do more?” Eventually I realized it didn’t have to be just us. What if we could get other local restaurants involved too? That idea became the Black Barn Go Program. Today, instead of preparing every meal ourselves, we source meals from local restaurants and work with trusted community organizations to distribute them to people experiencing food insecurity. It allows us to support local restaurants while feeding more people than we ever could on our own.
At the end of the day, that’s really what motivates me. I love feeding people. Seeing our dining room full is rewarding, but knowing we’re helping make sure someone has a meal when they otherwise might not, that honestly warms my heart. Whether it’s through the restaurant, the deli, or the Go Program, it’s all about building community one meal at a time.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I think that’s true for just about anyone who’s spent their life in the restaurant business.
Opening The Up & Under Pub in 2010 meant stepping into one of the most uncertain economic periods in recent history. Starting a business is always a risk, but opening during a downturn meant every decision mattered. We had to earn people’s trust one guest at a time and build a loyal community around us.
Then came COVID, which changed everything overnight. Like so many restaurants, we had to completely rethink how we operated. We pivoted as quickly as we could, focused on serving our community in different ways, and simply tried to keep moving forward through all the uncertainty.
The challenges didn’t end when restaurants reopened. In many ways, they just changed. Customer habits shifted, sales never fully returned to what they had been before, and costs kept climbing. Food, labor, utilities, insurance, almost everything became more expensive. The margins got tighter while the work only became harder.
At the same time, both my wife and I were dealing with our own health challenges. Running a restaurant is demanding under the best of circumstances, and trying to balance those personal struggles while keeping a business moving forward was one of the hardest things we’ve ever faced. There were days when it felt emotionally and financially exhausting.
But every challenge has also reinforced why we do this. Hospitality has never just been about running a business for me. It’s about serving people. Whether that’s welcoming someone into the restaurant, seeing families gather around a table, supporting local farmers, or helping provide meals to people in need through the Black Barn Go Program, those moments remind me why it’s all worth it.
I’ve learned that resilience isn’t about avoiding hard times. It’s about continuing to show up, adapting when you have to, and never losing sight of why you started. As long as we’re able to bring people together over good food and make a positive impact in our community, I’ll keep believing we’re exactly where we’re supposed to be.
As you know, we’re big fans of Black Barn Kitchen & Deli, Black Barn Go Program. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Black Barn Kitchen & Deli
Black Barn Kitchen & Deli is really a reflection of everything we’ve learned and loved about hospitality over the last 30-plus years.
At Black Barn Kitchen, we focus on approachable, scratch-made food using high-quality ingredients, with an emphasis on sourcing locally whenever we can. Being in the Rogue Valley gives us access to incredible farms, ranches, wineries, and producers, and we love showcasing what this region has to offer. We believe good food starts with good ingredients, and we try to let those ingredients speak for themselves.
The deli was another dream of mine. I’ve always loved the neighborhood deli experience, and there really wasn’t one serving our immediate area. We wanted to create a place where people could grab a great sandwich, pick up fresh prepared foods, or stop in for something quick without sacrificing quality. It’s become a great complement to the restaurant and gives us another way to serve the community.
More than anything, though, I hope people feel welcome when they walk through our doors. We want Black Barn to be the kind of place where you can celebrate a special occasion, meet friends for lunch, enjoy a date night, or simply become a regular. We love getting to know our guests, and there’s nothing better than seeing familiar faces come back week after week.
What I’m most proud of isn’t a particular dish or accomplishment. It’s seeing Black Barn become a place where people gather. Food has a way of bringing people together, and if we’ve created a place where people feel connected, cared for, and excited to come back, then I think we’ve done our job.
Black Barn Go Program
The Black Barn Go Program grew out of something we’ve been doing for a couple of years. It started with friends, family, and us pitching in our own money to prepare Thanksgiving meals for people in need. We’d work with organizations like Rogue Retreat, ACCESS, Rogue Community Health, Williams Grange, Hawthorne Park Potluck, and others to make sure those meals reached the people who needed them most.
That’s what inspired the Black Barn Go Program.
Today, instead of preparing every meal ourselves, we purchase meals from participating local restaurants and distribute them through trusted community organizations that are already serving people experiencing food insecurity. It creates a win-win. Restaurants receive paid business, community organizations receive fresh, ready-to-serve meals, and more people in our community are fed.
One of the biggest steps forward for the program has been our partnership with the Jacksonville Heritage Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves as our fiscal sponsor. That partnership allows us to accept charitable donations, with every donation receiving a tax-deductible receipt and being restricted exclusively for charitable use within the program. It gives donors confidence that their contributions are being used exactly as intended, while also allowing us to expand our reach and serve more people than we could on our own.
At its heart, the Black Barn Go Program is about bringing the community together. Businesses, nonprofits, volunteers, donors, and local restaurants all have a role to play. My hope is that people see this as more than a meal program. It’s a way for our community to take care of one another while strengthening the local businesses and organizations that make Southern Oregon such a special place.
I’ve always believed that sharing a meal is one of the simplest ways to show someone they matter. If we can help more people feel seen, cared for, and supported, while lifting up our local restaurant community at the same time, then we’re accomplishing exactly what we set out to do.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I think everything’s covered!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.blackbarnfarmoregon.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackbarnfarmoregon
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackBarnFarmOregon
