Meet Mike. Inside a warm and inviting storefront on Cabarrus Avenue in downtown Concord, you’ll find Mike Elliott talking about bees. Not just selling honey, but sharing insights, stories, and the incredible science behind beekeeping. As the co-owner of Cannon Honey Mill, Mike found his new calling in educating the public and supporting local honey producers.
“I want every customer to leave with something, even if they don’t make a purchase,” he said. “If you come in with questions, I want to help you find answers.”
Before starting his journey as a small business owner, Mike worked in manufacturing as a machinist. But in September 2021, he retired earlier than planned and began looking for a new purpose.
That purpose came from a long-standing interest in beekeeping. Introduced to the craft as a teenager by his father and uncle, who kept around 25 hives, Mike always held a fascination for bees. After retiring, he returned to the hobby and eventually found himself taking the role of a salesperson at Cannon Honey Mill, a store that sells local honey products.
The store, originally located in Kannapolis, had been open for a couple of years when one of the owners decided to step away. That’s when Mike had the opportunity to buy in as a partner, and on January 1, 2025, he officially became half-owner.
“It was a scary but easy decision,” he said. “I loved what the original owners had created. They weren’t just selling honey. They were helping people understand what they were buying.”
On February 1, the store moved to its new home on Cabarrus Avenue in downtown Concord. Mike brought with him a passion for both honey and learning.
“I used to think beekeeping was simple,” he said. “You take care of the bees, you harvest the honey, and you sell it. But I’ve learned so much from our customers about why they use honey and what they’re looking for.”
Today, Cannon Honey Mill works with five regional vendors to keep up with the seasonal demand for honey. From February through early July, honey is often scarce, so maintaining strong relationships with suppliers is critical. Mike is also expanding their selection of mead, an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey with water and yeast. The shop currently carries that product from two vendors, but Mike hopes to grow that number significantly.
His drive to expand the business and deepen his knowledge led him to the Retail Lab, a six-week business boot camp offered through a partnership between the Flywheel Foundation and the Rowan-Cabarrus Small Business Center and hosted at the Cabarrus Center. The program provides training in branding, finances, and sales, along with an opportunity to pitch for a small business grant.
Mike first applied to the Retail Lab while selling his own local honey at the Kannapolis Farmers Market and considering growing his own business. He was accepted but had to step back when a staff shortage at Cannon Honey Mill required him to take on more shifts.
After becoming co-owner and moving the shop to downtown Concord, he reconnected with Chrissy Santos, a previous Retail Lab graduate and owner of the neighboring business, The Palmetto Market, who encouraged him to apply again for the spring 2025 cohort.
“When I joined, my goal was to figure out how I could be the best I could be for the store,” Mike said. “I had a vision, but I didn’t know what steps to take to make it real.”
Beyond the knowledge, Mike said the most valuable part of the Retail Lab was connecting with other entrepreneurs.
“It was amazing to be in a room with people at different stages of building their businesses,” he said. “We all had something to share. It gave me confidence and direction.”
Looking forward, Mike wants Cannon Honey Mill to be a hub for local beekeepers and a trusted place for customers to learn and explore. He keeps an empty hive in the store to explain how bees live and work, and even uses an observation hive for school visits and vendor events.
“We’re more than a shop,” he said. “We’re a place to learn. Come visit, ask questions, and stay awhile. Just be prepared that if you ask an old beekeeper about his bees, he might talk your ear off.”
To learn more, check out their website at https://www.cannonhoney.com or stop by the store at 9 Cabarrus Avenue West in downtown Concord.
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