WS Chronicle

After having success as business owners of their own, Will Furches and Terrell Harris have joined forces to open  Pour, a bakery and juice bar located in downtown Winston-Salem.

Furches and Harris first started working together a few years ago. Furches provided cakes and other items for the Downtown Bodega, which was owned by Harris, so when they decided to open a business together they had already built a good working relationship. The fact that they grew in the same neighborhood made things a little easier as well.

“He had the Bodega and I was just moving back to Winston from Charlotte after opening a restaurant and he needed cakes, so I started supplying the cakes,” Furches added. “But we actually grew up together … we didn’t know it because there’s an age difference, but we grew up on the same street.”

Pour, which doubles as an acronym  for ‘Pouring Our Unique Recipes,’ offers a variety of cakes, cupcakes, brownies, and other treats, along with a list of smoothies, juices, lattes, and other items. Furches and Harris also plan to use their new business venture to “pour” back into the community. Throughout the spring and summer months, Furches and Harris plan to host several different events designed to bring people together.

“We’re trying to provide a lounge … a relaxed atmosphere,” Furches said. “We’re going to have jazz bands, different local artists coming out to perform, face painting for the kids.  Sundays we’re going to put a grill out here. We just want to be a place where people can come and enjoy themselves.”

Pour, which is located at 102 W. Third St., is also helping pump new life into Liberty Plaza. Except for the light foot traffic that may travel through the breezeway from time to time, for years the building located across the street from the Forsyth County Courthouse has gone almost unnoticed. But, with businesses like Pour and others moving into the building recently, the Kaleideum museum expected to be completed next year, and with the city spending $4.2 million in renovations for Merschel Park, soon the area will be a destination space that will attract families from across the state. 

“This space hasn’t really been noticed, but now they have to come this way and with the construction of the museum, they’re expecting 125,000 people to come annually, so we’re in a good spot,” Furches said.

Harris said he remembers when there was no reason to go downtown, so it’s been exciting to see how things have changed and to be a part of the change. “There’s a barbershop that just opened, there’s another spot that’s about to open. They have plans for a park, so everything just came together at the right time,” Harris said.

Having owned businesses in the area before, Harris and Furches said they have learned a lot about building a business from the ground up. Furches said he’s learned how to better market his product and who his customer base is. He said in any type of business you have to learn about the community you’re serving and what they want.

Harris said he’s learned to never give up.

“The main thing I’ve learned about business in general is to never give up and don’t take no for an answer,” Harris continued. “No means not yet or not right now, but it’s never no. You have to manifest what you want and go get it. Manifestation is a big part of business.”

Pour is open Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.. The entrance is located across the street from the courthouse in the same breezeway as Courtside Cafe. 

For more information, call 336-770-8005 or visit the Pour Facebook page.