About Us

It all begins with an idea and a man on a mission. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. That's where Burgaw Now steps in. We are a community-based venture that focuses on the preservation, revitalization, and development of Burgaw, North Carolina. This quaint and historic Southern town has an abundance of charm that Richard Johnson fell in love with back in 2016.

One of the gutsiest businessmen of our time, Johnson, found his early success during the dot-com boom era after developing the world's first interactive job board, HotJobs.com, and mortgaging his life savings for a 30-second Super Bowl commercial that sent the company viral. After taking the company public and eventually selling to Yahoo!, Richard's focus shifted toward family, mentorship and philanthropy.

It is our mission to bring visitors back to the downtown area and divert their attention from the chain stores that line the neighboring I-40 highway. We are on a positive trajectory to put Burgaw not only on the map of top places to visit in North Carolina but in the country. We have several projects in the pipeline, including Own Your Own, that will bring back the nostalgic small-town feel that so many cherish and enjoy.

Since frequenting Burgaw, Johnson bought seven buildings in the county seat that he instinctively knew could be transformed from abandoned buildings into well-known staples in the community. Each building he purchased is chocked full of its own character and story. He has already turned one building into a thriving pizzeria, Fat Daddy’s and the old Tim’s Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. building into a state-of-the-art brewpub, Burgaw Brewing that is set to open in early 2023. Additionally, the old small-town drugstore has been repurposed into a vibrant space for the growing Pender Arts Council.