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Chris and Woody met as servers at Bogart’s American Grill. They became friends over several great beers, sometimes even making interstate trips in search of new things to try. Over many late nights at Havana Deluxe, Chris and Woody discussed a shared dream of opening their own place. 
Out of those conversations came the idea for a restaurant concept focused on good beer and local organic food. The space at 225 South Wilmington Street brought them the opportunity to realize their concept, and the Busy Bee Cafe was (re)born. The Busy Bee originally opened in 1913, serving breakfast and lunch to Raleigh’s downtown crowd. The café had a varied menu, including fish, oyster and steak. There was also a private dining room for women, hence the “Ladies Invited” signage on the original storefront (see picture). After the café closed in 1925, the space was occupied by a number of businesses, including an auto parts store (Advance), a hardware store (Carolina Hardware), a furniture and appliance store, and most recently a hip-hop fashion outfitter (Capital Clothing). It was also rumored to have been a strip club in the late 1960s. The building was condemned after the entire storefront fell into Wilmington Street in the late 90s, you can still see where the original brick of the wall and the newer brick of the storefront meet. After purchase in the summer of 2008, the building underwent an extensive renovation, reopening as Busy Bee Café and The Hive on April 6, 2009. And yes, ladies are still invited. Picture: Chris (left) and Woody (right) with Dogfish Brewery owner Sam Calagione. |
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Originally from Mount Kisco, New York, Woody moved to Raleigh in 1999 from Connecticut. After starting his hospitality industry experience at the Crabtree Marriott, Woody worked at Ragazzi’s where he quickly moved up from server to manager in a few short months. Woody then headed downtown to Bogart’s and Rocky Top Hospitality, where he first met Chris. After three years and shaking a lot of martinis, Woody grew along with Rocky Top, becoming a bar manager at The Red Room when it opened. At Red Room Woody again expanded his role, becoming General Manager at one of Glenwood South’s busiest spots. |
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Chris grew up in Henrietta, New York. He started his restaurant career at the age of 15 in a small Italian restaurant called Fuffaro's. There he had his first taste of the restaurant industry, bussing tables, doing kitchen prep, picking up liquor and pretty much anything else the owner could think of. After a brief hiatus working in corporate event planning, Chris returned to restaurant business with a Canadian restaurant group Sir Corp. After moving to North Carolina with their concept Jack Astor’s Bar and Grill in 1999, Chris went on to Rocky Top Hospitality where he was a member of the opening staff at Bogart’s. During his time at Rocky Top, Chris helped in the development of unique concepts like Vivo, Twisted Fork, Hi5, The Red Room and 1705 Prime while also serving as the bar manager at Bogart’s. In 2007, Chris took his passion for beer and knowledge of the industry to the Raleigh Times to shape the beer program there. |
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