The pandemic may have shuttered two downtown favorites, but don’t count out The Hive and The Bees’ Knees just yet.
“Both The Hive and The Bees’ Knees will be returning,” said Eric Kinlaw, owner. “But the concepts are going to evolve. It’s not going to be the same as it was.”
Located at 215 10th St., The Hive formerly existed as a brewpub that boasted more than 70 beers on tap, as well as burgers, bowls and other bar snacks. It’s now going to become a “food, beer and wine market,” according to Kinlaw. It will be more retail-oriented, but on-site consumption will still remain at a reduced level. There will be some seating, but less than 20 seats.
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“The beauty is that everything will be retail pricing. If you want to buy a bottle of wine, you can sit down and drink it or take it away, same with any beer, in crowlers,” he said.
Crowlers are essentially giant cans of beer that can be brought home and refrigerated for later consumption.
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In terms of food, Kinlaw said he’s got several plans for how to reinvent that aspect of his business.
“I’m going to keep it vegan and vegetarian only. It’s going to be a clean kitchen,” Kinlaw said. “I’ve been talking to people with food trucks and startups. I’m trying to figure out how to run a commissary kitchen for people like that.”
On the topic of The Bees’ Knees, Kinlaw revealed that a more substantial evolution was taking place. It was formerly an upscale, intimate eatery with worldly cuisine and rotating specials. Kinlaw is now going in a different direction.
“In 1999, the original Bees’ Knees was on Sixth Street, close to Hildebrandt’s Deli. I graduated college and wasn’t sure what I was going to do,” he said. “I took a thrifting road trip through the Carolinas, and I opened up a vintage, curio shop in The Bees’ Knees. We sold decor, clothes, records, furniture, all vintage items. And that’s what I’m going to do again.”
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Kinlaw intends to convert the bar in The Bees’ Knees into a coffee and tea bar. This aspect will be similar to next door at The Hive, with a focus on retail but offering some on-site consumption as well.
The goal is to source both the coffee and tea from this region, and Kinlaw mentioned Athens and Atlanta as possible sources. That plan is consistent for the items in the vintage shop, as well.
In terms of what spurred on the new concepts, Kinlaw brought up several factors.
“We re-opened late in 2020 for take-out, and I realized it wasn’t very sustainable,” he said. “Within a week or two of re-opening for indoor dining, members of my staff and myself tested positive for COVID-19. I made the decision then that I had enough, and I didn’t want to subject my staff to anything they felt uncomfortable with.”
There was a desire to make the business more manageable while also serving the community, Kinlaw said.
“I have a moral compass that’s pretty strong,” he said. “I’ve done things the right way. I’ve paid people well. We had a huge recycling program, and we bought sustainably. I made a hard decision to move on, but I’ve figured out a way to do it where I feel good about it. If I don’t feel good about it, I’m not going to do it.”
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The Hive and The Bees’ Knees could be reopening as soon as the summer.
“I’m working on both projects right now, but The Hive will probably open first,” Kinlaw said. “As soon as it’s ready, I’m going to open it.”
The Augusta Press will be tracking the progress of both and will provide an update in the coming weeks.
Tyler Strong is the Business Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at tyler@theaugustapress.com.
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