Surry Business

Jonathan Keener left behind a sales job with a six-figure income when he and his wife, Sharon, and their six children sought a safer environment than a suburb outside New York City. They moved to Surry County, bought a five-bedroom house on 21 acres of green pastures and opened the Livin’ Lattes Cafe on Main Street in Pilot Mountain.

“Before I was working so hard just to get ahead. I wasn’t home enough. [We] came here and the cost of living is lower and there’s more stuff we can do together,” Jonathan Keener told ABC Television’s “Good Morning America.”

“We want a slower pace. We want to just enjoy life and take care of our kids and be able to do our business and do our shop together,” said Sharon.

The Keeners said they also feel a connection to their community that they’ve never had before.

“We feel like we are part of something bigger than ourselves. There are a lot of people trying to do this,” said Jonathan.

You can watch the “GMA” video segment here.