In The Mix
Behind the scenes at some of downtown Wilmington’s most popular bars and restaurants – MIXTO, LITTLE DIPPER, BLUE POST, YOSAKE and others – is the interconnected web of friends and business partners who run them.
There’s no official name for the group. Each business has its own LLC. And sometimes the details are confusing even for those involved. Some members of the group are partners at this restaurant, others work together elsewhere. Spouses joined the fold. A few of the original partners left. But all of the relationships, for the most part, are amicable.
“We get along remarkably well,” said JUSTIN SMITH, who works at about six of the businesses. Sure, there are stresses and disagreements. “But for the most part, we’re a really lucky group of friends.”
The partnerships began in the 1990s.
IAN MOSLEY owned Wave Hog Saloon in the former Reel Café. BARBARA WEETMAN, GIL JOHNSON, HARPER PETERSON and others went into business together and opened BLUE POST. Smith managed the bar for them for about a year and a half.
From there, opportunities presented themselves, opening a rooftop bar together called LEVEL 5, for example. Over the years, they’ve delved into businesses such as the COPPER PENNY and FIBBER MCGEE’S. In 2005, a group of them opened the businesses in the building that now contains Husk, YoSake and THE BALCONY ON DOCK.
At the same time, Smith, his wife, Bekah, and two other couples were bringing fondue to Wilmington with Little Dipper. (By the way, two of those partners, Kristin and Pete Gruodis, are working with former employee Ben Neal to establish a franchise in Durham.)
Now, these friends and partners estimate they provide about 200 jobs at their assorted restaurants and bars.
“That’s something we’re really proud of,” Smith said.
Many of the partners talk every day. Mosley, Johnson and Smith get together for an almost daily lunch. Another thing they’re proud of is to focus their work downtown.
“I personally like this community,” said Weetman, an owner at Blue Post and Mixto. “It’s a loyal group of people. We take care of one another.”
To outsiders, it might seem like they have a magic touch. “We try to pay attention to what’s trending,” Smith said. They believe each place has a solid concept behind it, inspired by travels and what they think fills a need downtown.
Not everything has been a success, though. They tried out a business called Poncho & Lefty’s, where Market Street Saloon is now. “There are so many different factors to consider,” Smith said. “Making something sustainable can be tricky.”
Finding the right business for the first floor of the Front Street building was also difficult. “I think for Husk, it definitely fills the niche of a pub downtown with a lot of seating,” he said.
One reason the partners work so well together is that they all fill a role in the business. Weetman is good with design and working with employees. Johnson is good with details.
“Ian is a true businessman,” Smith said. Bekah Smith has many years of restaurant experience. “She probably has the most traditional experience of all of us,” Justin Smith said.
“And Justin is just a really hard worker,” Johnson said.
They might also get along because many of them have a creative side, one that owning these businesses allows them to develop.
“There is the opportunity to pursue our interests, to spread our artistic wings,” Smith said. For him, it’s his work as artistic director at City Stage. Johnson recently directed a production called Day Drinkers. And Weetman has taken on several acting roles, most recently in Linda Lavin’s film A Short History of Decay.
“We are all lucky that we do have a chance to pursue our passions,” Weetman said. “It’s something I absolutely would not have a chance to do otherwise, especially as a mother.”
Most of the members also agree about the disadvantage. “It’s hard being the boss,” Johnson said. “Everybody thinks it’s easy, but it’s not.”
With a string of successful restaurants, many ask the partners what’s next. There are a few great ideas they like to discuss and play, Smith said, but resources are stretched thin.
“That doesn’t mean we wouldn’t hop on the right opportunity, if it comes along,” he added. “I can think of a couple of concepts we’re interested in pursuing … at some point.”
To view more of photographer Keith Ketchum’s work, go to www.keithketchum.com.
