Revelations: How The Crabby Shack Became A Seafood Sanctuary In The Heart Of Brooklyn [Exclusive]

Tucked away in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn lies The Crabby Shack, a popular destination for “all things Crab” and delicious mouthwatering “comfort food,” according to co-owner Fifi Bell-Clanton. Seafood lovers will find just about everything to light up their taste buds at this vibrant restaurant, including succulent Alaskan snow crab legs, jam-packed lobster rolls, and The Crabby Shack’s world-famous Crab Roll doused in their signature Crabby Shack Beer Sauce. 

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Opened in 2014, this seafood haven was born from the mind of Bell-Clanton and her longtime friend and co-owner, Gwen Woods. On the latest episode of REVELATIONS, the duo spoke about what it took to leap out on faith, leaving two incredible careers in fashion and music to bring decadent seafood to their community. According to Woods, The Crabby Shack’s origin started when Bell-Clanton came to her with the idea of opening up a crab restaurant in Brooklyn.

“At the time, there were no other crab restaurants in the metropolitan area,” she revealed. 

The ladies knew they were onto something special. Their shared love of crab, shaped by their unique upbringings and the surprising lack of competition in New York, gave them confidence that their idea would stand out.

Bell-Clanton grew up in Philadelphia, where crab is a staple in many neighborhoods. From Blue Crab to Dungeness and Alaskan Snow Crab, local crab shacks were easy to find and well-loved. But in New York, it was a different story. Craving the flavors of home, Bell-Clanton would often make trips to the market and prepare crab herself, perfecting her recipes.

Woods also grew up eating crab. Her father was from the Chesapeake Bay area, where crab is a way of life. Every time he returned from home, he brought crabs with him, and those meals became a cherished tradition. Like Bell-Clanton, Woods felt the absence of quality crab in New York and knew they weren’t alone in that craving.

One night at a dinner party at Woods’s house, Bell-Clanton floated the idea of opening a crab restaurant, and amazingly, the timing was right. With a clear vision intact, The Crabby Shack was born. Both entrepreneurs are grateful they took a leap of faith to follow their dreams—and they’ve never looked back.

Since opening, the community has shown incredible support every step of the way, shared Woods. 

“We’ve had people from the community come in and say, ‘Thank you so much! And it’s so good to see two Black women opening up in this neighborhood,’ when you know gentrification is happening,” she said. “This strip over here was traditionally Panamanian, and there were many Panamanian restaurants in the past. But as we came in, they just started closing, and so we were one of the only Black businesses. People [would] say it’s so good to see someone that looks like us here.”

The duo’s journey to success wasn’t always smooth, Bell-Clanton admitted. Before opening The Crabby Shack, both women walked away from thriving careers—Woods was the vice president at Bad Boy Records, while Bell-Clanton worked as a fashion stylist for high-profile celebrities. Though they were both “making good money,” they craved something more: the freedom to build something of their own and take control of their futures. Even when they faced challenges finding a distributor, as many dismissed the mission they had intact for the restaurant, both hustlers held on to faith’s powerful hand. They eventually found the right partner, said Bell-Clanton.

“And he makes a lot of money from us,” she chuckled. “We wanted to be our own boss, and we had this dream, and we wanted to do it, so we took a leap of faith, and we trusted in ourselves.”

Woods shared that the opportunities since opening The Crabby Shack have been “endless.” She and Bell-Clanton remain focused on growth, continuing to aim high as they expand their business and reach for new heights.

“I’m always dreaming like, ‘Oh, you could do this and that and the other,’ and I still have that hope. I’m gonna keep dreaming until my last breath,” she added. 

Watch the full REVELATIONS interview with Woods and Bell-Clanton above. 

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