After 18 years, the owners of downtown Wilmington's The Husk and YoSake sold the restaurants on April 30 to local business group C&C BizVentures.  

The three-story venue initially opened in the historic Roudabush building at 33 S. Front St. in 2006 as Roudabush Café, YoSake, and The Balcony on Dock. Roudabush became The Husk in 2011 and the third floor became Dram + Morsel in 2016.  

Dram + Morsel closed during the pandemic and was repurposed to provide extra seating for YoSake when extra spacing between tables was required. The space has continued to provide overflow seating for the restaurant.  

Terry Espy, president of MoMentum Companies, represented the selling party, Front and Dock, LLC. She said the former owners enlisted her help to find a buyer about six months ago when they agreed it was time to move on to new ventures.  

Justin and Bekah Smith, Gil Johnson, and Kyra Tebow Faina of Front and Dock will continue to operate Prost Biergarten at 115 S. Front St., while the new owners have pledged to keep both YoSake and The Husk as is for now, including keeping the current staff. 

“We’re very excited for the new owners and wish them all the best,” said Tebow Faina. “The staff is looking forward to working with them to keep the magic going.” 

According to Espy, an appreciation of the value of the relationships with the existing customer base and the level of service that has been established were important factors in selecting the right buyer. 

“We wanted to make sure the buyers love Wilmington and understand what it means to be an independent business owner here,” Espy said.  

A spokesperson for C&C BizVentures also stated the company’s intentions for the space in a news release issued this week.  

"Our goal is to continue the legacy of Husk and YoSake while introducing subtle enhancements that our guests will love, including new menu items and an expanded selection of sakes and cocktails," the release stated. “The new owners are also looking forward to working with the current staff, whose dedication and passion have been integral to the success of the businesses.” 

While C&C BizVentures has not yet publicly announced their plans for the building’s third floor and Espy is legally bound from doing so, she said it is something that the Wilmington community has lacked for some time and is sure to be excited about.
  
“This is going to be a great addition to downtown Wilmington,” Espy said.  

C&C BizVentures is expected to reveal plans for the new concept in the coming weeks.

Correction: This version has been updated to clarify the new owner only purchased the restaurants.