Char Barrie

A distinguished business owner of more than 25 years, Char Barrie has excelled owning and operating Char’s Kitchen in Turton, South Dakota since 1995. Having originally been a hobby while coming of age, Ms. Barrie often gifted her jellies to friends and family. In 1995, she decided to share her creations with her local community at a craft fair in support of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, where her products were met with much acclaim. With the help of her daughter’s artistic vision, her products were further improved aesthetically, now featuring ribbon, fabric and colorful labels. Today, Ms. Barrie’s products are sought after in the local community and throughout South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota.

Creating one-of-a-kind recipes, Ms. Barrie’s store offers 13 different flavors of jellies, from apple butter and raspberry jalapeno, to strawberry rhubarb and pumpkin butter. She also offers five sugar-free jellies, as well as four flavors of pickles, eight syrups and two flavors of salsa. One of Ms. Barrie’s bestsellers is a jelly that comes from the chokecherry, a native fruit from North and South Dakota. All products can be purchased from her website and shipped directly to customers’ homes, as well as found in some local stores. Certified by the National Restaurant Association, Char’s Kitchen is also state inspected and holds a national ServSafe certificate.

To remain abreast of her local community as an entrepreneur, Ms. Barrie is a member of the Professional Women’s Association, a board member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary and a former president of Conde American Legion. She attributes her abundance of success to “a lot of hard work” and maintaining the integrity and quality of her products. Looking ahead, she plans to ease into a well-deserved retirement and hopes for the continued success of her business. Prior to founding Char’s Kitchen, Ms. Barrie worked for Viking Rubber as an office administrator from 1992 to 1995.