Two small business owners who grew up in rural North Carolina have taken similar journeys that led them to open businesses in downtown Raleigh in recent years. Both emphasize creating inclusive spaces that provide a sense of community for all, including the LGBTQ community.
“I wanted a space for people like me. People who might not always feel like they fit in everywhere,” says chef Gregory Hamm, owner of Libations 317.
“I wanted a place where you could be yourself and shop,” says Rusty Sutton, co-owner of The Green Monkey.
Hamm opened Libations 317 at 317 West Morgan Street three years ago this month. Sutton and his husband, Drew Temple, opened the Green Monkey at 215 South Wilmington Street one year ago. Both businesses have worked hard to create a sense of community mere blocks from one another.
Both spaces aim to be places where everyone feels welcome.
Inclusive spaces aren’t just for Pride Month or the LGBTQ community, both owners say—they’re for everyone, all the time.
The location of Libations is a nod to Hamm’s journey. The original tenant for the West Morgan Street space was the Borough, a neighborhood bar and restaurant. Chef Hamm is “happy to serve everyone,” but he warmly welcomes the LGBTQ community as Borough owner Liz Masnik did throughout her tenure running the beloved local business that shuttered in 2016. To pay homage to the Borough, Hamm continues the tradition of one of its most popular drinks, the Q, which is “Vodka + Vodka + Vodka + Vodka + Vodka + splash of Magic Juice’’ to start your night off with a bang. Hamm has recreated a Borough atmosphere, with local dive bar vibes, while also embracing newcomers.
Hamm’s culinary journey began in high school with guidance from his teacher Patricia Werth. With her support, he enrolled in Johnson and Wales University to study the culinary arts. After graduating, he moved to Raleigh to work with Werth to develop a culinary curriculum, then relocated to Lee County to begin teaching. Hamm credits Werth’s support, love, and inspiration for his career, as she helped him unlock his love for food and his talent.
Hamm chose Sanford for his first restaurant, Cafe 121, which opened 16 years ago. Since then, he has opened a series of businesses, including Libations 139 in Sanford and now Libations 317 in Raleigh. Hamm’s consistent focus throughout the growth of his restaurants has remained the same: “I want to know the source of the food, for our guests to know what is in the dish, and for every guest to know who cooked it.”
One of Hamm’s seasonal favorites is a collard-and-pork egg roll, a very popular offering around the New Year. His jalapeño-pimento cheese will keep you coming back to his takeaway pantry. He has a trained baker, who also worked with him in the community college system as a culinary instructor, crafting his cakes, baked goods, and biscuits. If you want a biscuit and gravy that tastes like something your country-Southern grandmother would make, Libations will satisfy your cravings for something a little more traditional for Sunday brunch.
Hamm has always enjoyed cooking international foods, so on Saturday and Sunday, his menu is Asian inspired with dishes like beef and broccoli and crispy sesame chicken. His primary cook in Raleigh has Mexican roots, so many of “Robert’s Favorites” provide some Mexican flavors on other nights. Hamm has created a menu that varies throughout the week to serve what he’s dubbed “a community of regulars,” who can eat there multiple times a week and try something new each visit. And if you don’t have time to stick around and eat in, his takeaway pantry fridge is great for tailgates, family gatherings, and nights in.
The summer menu for Libations will include an array of dishes that Hamm believes will resonate with guests in the hotter months, including several new salads (like the Crispy Asian), wraps (such as the Carolina Chicken with hoop cheese), and customer favorites like the jala-pimento cheese.
Hamm notes that the summer “glam and grub” dinner series of drag shows is a new endeavor, marking the first time Libations is hosting evening dinner shows. Although Libations staff are experienced with drag shows, the format of a monthly dinner show throughout the summer is new. They plan to continue these shows in the future based on audience demand. A six p.m. show allows you to come in, have a bite to eat, a few cocktails, and plenty of laughs, and then continue your night elsewhere.
“I want Libations to be a place where people can start their night,” Hamm says.
A few blocks away on Wilmington Street, you will find a funky gift shop meets bar meets event space. Sutton shared the early vision behind the Green Monkey, which began at an area flea market, during a recent visit.
“We were the only flea market vendor selling pride merchandise in June of 2007,” Sutton recalls with a laugh.
Sutton’s journey to the flea market began in Wilson, just east of Raleigh. The career path for many of his friends and family led to farms, manufacturing, or truck driving. However, his sister was an accountant, and he thought business sounded like a great way to make a living. He was also motivated by those who doubted him.
“People said I couldn’t do certain things or that I would never amount to anything. And I believed in myself,” he says.
Determined not to stay at the flea market forever, Sutton enrolled in a business plan course at Wake Tech to develop a strategy for a full-fledged store. He sought advice from local mentors, including Rose Schwetz, who owned the iconic dive bar and music venue Sadlack’s. Schwetz promised to help Sutton find a venue once he had a business plan. She led him to the onetime Royal Mart, a dingy, dark place on Hillsborough Street, which Sutton initially rejected. But Schwetz persisted, and in 2013, she convinced him to transform the Royal Mart into his vision.
Several friends helped ensure the Green Monkey survived its challenging first year. A beer rep offered a deal on a keg, a friend built a custom bar that debuted in 2015, and another made a business investment. These efforts, combined with Sutton and Temple’s hospitality, turned first-time visitors into repeat customers, giving the Green Monkey real momentum.
The momentum continued until the pandemic disrupted retail and social spaces, but loyal customers helped keep the Green Monkey afloat. A change in landlords led them to need a new home for their business, and this eventually led them to 215 South Wilmington Street. The space had sat vacant for decades but was once home to the Raleigh Sandwich Shop. Sutton and Temple both fell in love with the space and its potential for downtown Raleigh.
Today at the Green Monkey, customers can expect a warm welcome (Sutton promises you’ll hear “Welcome to the Green Monkey, y’all” when you walk in), a gift for first-time visitors that changes annually, unique merchandise (much of it designed by Sutton), a full bar, grab-and-go food options, and events like trivia nights, drag performances, and more.
Both Hamm and Sutton are dedicated to ensuring their welcoming spaces remain part of Raleigh’s evolving downtown. And spaces like Libations and the Green Monkey show that, as the city grows, it still needs spaces to foster community and inclusivity in downtown Raleigh. These businesses are more than just places to spend money and drink, according to their owners. They believe these are spaces where you can meet new friends, be among like-minded people, and feel a genuine sense of welcome not only during Pride Month but year-round.
Sutton says he is optimistic about both the future of downtown Raleigh and his store.
“I know what I am supposed to be doing,” he says. “We’ll be here as long as people support us.”
Hamm feels similarly.
“The happiest moments for me are when I bring guests to the table and share culinary stories and food culture with them,” he says. “When scratch-made foods evoke memories of life, travel, childhood, and heritage, I know I’ve done my part.”
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