Charlotte’s quintessential outdoorsman takes Jesse Brown’s beyond brick-and-mortar.
by Natalie Dick | photographs by Richard Israel
Bill Bartee has never met a stranger. And if you’re one of the lucky people to have crossed paths with him, you’ll never forget him. The longtime owner of Jesse Brown’s Outdoors has a gift for gab that immediately puts others at ease. That, and a strong attention to detail, keeps loyal customers returning to the Sharon Corners store year after year.
“I can see the good in people — observation and a sprinkle of empathy for others,” he tells me when I ask him about his best traits. “I’m in the optimism and encouragement business,” he says with a smile.
A master storyteller, Bartee reels you in with his thick Southern drawl and ear-to-ear grin. (His folksy demeanor had me within seconds during our recent lunch date at Rooster’s.) But don’t mistake his Southern charm for naivete. He’s sharp and savvy, and he excels at creating and curating authentic relationships with those he meets. Bartee has an innate likability about him — it’s no wonder he was student body president at Clover High School and voted “friendliest” and “best all-around” for the class of 1988.
Bill and Natalie met for lunch at Rooster’s Wood-fired Kitchen in SouthPark, one of Bill’s longtime favorite restaurants. Pictured: Rooster’s coconut cake with cream-cheese frosting and crème anglaise; Rooster’s smoked turkey BLT with provolone and avocado.
Connecting to Nature
Bartee’s connection to all things outdoors is intrinsically linked to his upbringing on an Angus cattle farm in nearby Clover, South Carolina.
“My introduction to the outdoors — or my vocation, as I like to call it — was doing my chores. My three younger brothers and I would feed the cattle and horses and do other chores before and after school,” he says.
“I was involved in everything I could be in my community growing up. 4-H, I played all kinds of sports, earned my Eagle Scout and was student body president,” Bartee says. He started working part-time at Jesse Brown’s as a teenager.
“Even though I lived in Clover, my dad worked in SouthPark, so I always felt a connection to this area,” he recalls.
Unsure where he wanted to go to college or what he wanted to do, Bartee chose Birmingham Southern College, a small liberal-arts school in Alabama, where “a cool uncle” had graduated. Four years later, he found himself back in Clover with a degree in marketing and finance and a minor in English.
“I had no idea what I wanted to do,” Bartee says. “So, I moved back home and began working full time at Jesse Brown’s.”
Little did he know then that his entrepreneurial journey was about to begin.
Redefining the Brand
Before Dick’s, Bass Pro Shops and REI, there was Jesse Brown’s Outdoors. Founded 55 years ago in Greer, South Carolina, by Jesse and Elizabeth Brown, the store relocated to what is now South End in the ’80s, permanently putting down roots in SouthPark in 1993. A year later, with a loan from his family, Bartee bought the business.
“Starting at ground level at Jesse Brown’s taught me the importance of detail,” he explains. “Paying attention to the feedback — positive and negative — that clients, company representatives, and senior employees shared has helped me be a better mentor to the younger generation, our future leaders.”
Jesse Brown’s ability to stand the test of time in the highly competitive retail world is a testament to its strong local ties and Bartee’s keen sense of grassroots marketing.
“Part of the charm of Jesse Brown’s success lies in how people perceive the outdoor industry,” he explains. “It’s evolved from activity-based shopping, like camping and fishing, to identity shopping. Customers aren’t just purchasing gear; they’re buying into a lifestyle that represents health, activity and wellness.”
Originally a specialty outdoor retail store, Jesse Brown’s mission now extends well beyond its physical location.
“We started as a climbing, camping, hiking and backpacking store. That will always be part of our DNA, and we celebrate that,” Bartee says. “As the years have passed, our products, brands and services have become more diverse.”
Fly-fishing has become a big deal at Jesse Brown’s. A “game changer,” according to Bartee. “We partner with fly-fishing agencies to send people to destinations you could not imagine,” he says.
Walking into Jesse Brown’s, it’s as if you’re visiting old friends. And the store’s team of experts includes renowned anglers and professionals from nationally recognized guide schools.
Bartee refers to shopping at Jesse Brown’s as “retail theater.”
“We are much more than just a brick-and-mortar store — we provide a great experience.”
North Carolina shrimp with Anson Mills grits, n’duja, tomato and butter. “Rooster’s is locally owned and has fabulous food, and Chef Jim Noble is a sportsman, client and friend of mine,” says Bartee.
Mic check, please
If you haven’t visited Jesse Brown’s yet, you may have heard Bartee on his weekly radio show/podcast. For more than 27 years, he’s hosted “Carolina Outdoors” on WBT, where he shares ideas for outdoor activities and nature-related happenings. The show is a clever way to cross-promote the store.
A self-proclaimed “radio nerd,” Bartee’s always had a passion for talk radio.
“I call it being an audiophile. If I’m driving through a town and I see the call letters, I’ll try to find the local station and listen to anything from a high-school basketball game to an obituary — yeah, some places still have those on air,” he says.
The show’s audience is diverse, from truck drivers to doctors. The podcast ranks No. 2 among FeedSpot’s top North Carolina Outdoor Podcasts and boasts more than 93,000 downloads.
“The show’s goal has been to romanticize our love for the outdoors and to educate and appreciate it,” Bartee says. “For some people, the outdoors might just mean staying in a Holiday Inn with the window open,” he sarcastically quips, “but we believe there’s hope for them to enjoy someone else’s adventure or the impact that nature has had on them by simply listening and hearing those stories. The outdoors is for everyone.”
Engaging with the community
Bartee shares his love of the outdoors in another way: by hosting events — and lots of them.
“The beauty of Jesse Brown’s is you get to outfit people, but you also get to meet these people who have incredible backgrounds and talents,” Bartee shares as he entusiastically describes the store’s popular Storyteller Series — think mini-TEDx Talks — held quarterly.
“It started with customers coming in and sharing their incredible stories of travel adventures or personal experiences while they shopped,” Bartee continues. “That morphed into everyday people taking Jesse Brown’s stage to talk about their journeys, whether climbing high mountains, hiking the Appalachian Trail or some other life-changing experience.”
In addition to the Storyteller Series, Jesse Brown’s offers fly-fishing classes, including one with a guided float trip. The store even hosts a youth summer camp and regular guided walks along the Loop at SouthPark.
“SouthPark is a dynamic, growing and evolving area, and I believe that our connection to the outdoors and what it represents is increasingly important,” Bartee says.
Arugula salad with spiced pear, toasted walnut, chevre and walnut vinaigrette.
Finding time for adventure
These days, Bartee juggles running the store with his volunteer work in the community. He’s president-elect of the Charlotte Rotary Club for 2026-27. He also actively promotes the SouthPark business district as a board member for SouthPark Community Partners.
Bartee and his wife, Elizabeth, who have four children ranging in age from middle school to college, will celebrate their 26th wedding anniversary in April. When I ask if his family is outdoorsy, he laughs and replies, “Well, my wife is the sport!” He recalls a challenging backpacking trip the couple took as newlyweds from Black Mountain Campground to Mount Mitchell. “I had overloaded her pack, and after a couple of miles, she let me know. It was a tough trip until I redistributed some of the weight to my pack — whew!”
Not surprisingly, family vacations are often visits to state and national parks.
“My kids all have a healthy interest in the outdoors, but I’m not sure about pursuing it as a career,” he says. That prompts him to think about the future of Jesse Brown’s — a succession plan.
“I don’t know the answer yet,” he says contemplatively. “Whatever the next step for Jesse Brown’s is after me weighs heavily on my mind.” For now, Bartee is focused on making Jesse Brown’s the best it can be.
“I try to be broad and diverse in my role as the face and the voice of Jesse Brown’s,” he says. “One of the most frequent questions I get is, ‘What’s your sport? Are you a rock climber? A fly-fisherman? Do you like backpacking?’ People try to pin me down, but I see myself as the conductor for the customer’s pursuit of those sports.”
But I don’t let him off that easy. After some prodding, and a long pause, he continues.
“Oh, the mountains. I love a wild trout stream. Part of the beauty of a mountain trout stream isn’t just the fishing aspect; it’s being alone in the fresh air and listening to the sounds and the quiet. The sport is just an excuse to be there. Also, saltwater fly-fishing is fantastic. It’s like hunting — you must use your eyes. You must see the fish and then cast to it while it’s feeding.”
As we finish our lunch, I wonder what’s on Bartee’s bucket list.
“I would love to do more — more fly-fishing in great destinations, more hiking up tall mountains, and more travel to places I’ve never been,” he shares. “That’s one of the challenges of running a demanding small business that helps people do cool things in cool places: finding the time to do those things yourself.” SP
WATCH: Bartee has a personal rule of greeting everyone he meets with a big smile, direct eye contact and a hearty hello — no exceptions. That is, until he met Michael Jordan. Scan the QR code to hear what happened when they ran into each other at Taste of Charlotte.
Fast FIVE
Most famous people you’ve met: President George H.W. Bush, Michael Jordan and Col. Harland Sanders.
Something that might surprise people about you: I’m well-traveled. I have spent time in Southeast Asia; Bali; Java, Indonesia; Korea; Hong Kong; and Thailand.
Something overrated and something underrated: Overrated: All-inclusive resorts. Underrated: Active adventure vacations, supportive footwear and trekking poles.
Most frightening thing that’s ever happened to you: Taking a fall in a fast-moving trout stream. I pushed it too far on a trip in Montana and lost my rod, reel, everything. The worst part was my pride being wounded. Also, being lost in the woods — that’s scary. The secret is to keep your head and seek a solution.
This season’s hottest outdoor items: Sun-protective clothing and mosquito-resistant clothing. And outdoor Bluetooth speakers like TURTLEBOX, which are waterproof and built extra-rugged.
