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From Cocoa Bombs To The Hive: Brittany Russin Smith’s Journey
Manage episode 515897470 series 2968201
Owner/operator Brittany Russin Smith shares how she turned a love of baking and community into The Hive at Rumsey—Harford County’s collaborative commissary kitchen—and The Honey Loft upstairs venue. She walks through vendor partnerships, micro-weddings, BYO alcohol logistics, and what it takes to run a flexible event space on the water in Joppatowne. If you care about local entrepreneurship, food businesses, and community-powered growth, this one’s packed with practical insights.
Sponsored by Four Seasons Landscape & Construction Services
Guest Bio:
Brittany Russin Smith is the founder of The Hive at Rumsey (a licensed commissary kitchen and event space) and co-owner of The Honey Loft, an upstairs waterfront venue in Joppatowne, MD. A former government contractor and Maryland State Police employee, she pivoted during 2020 from hot cocoa bombs and cottage-food baking into running a multi-vendor kitchen that supports caterers, food trucks, and pop-up events—all with a mission to help small businesses thrive.
Main Topics:
· What a commissary kitchen is and why Harford County needed one
· Brittany’s path: government contracting → state police → entrepreneurship
· 2020 cottage-food beginnings (hot cocoa bombs) and spark to build The Hive
· Launching The Honey Loft: micro-wedding giveaway → full venue
· Capacity & layout: indoor/outdoor options, lawn by the water, roundtables
· Vendor ecosystem & collaboration (caterers, food trucks, charcuterie, desserts)
· BYO alcohol rules at private events; staffing bartenders vs. liquor license
· Social media hurdles for local businesses and group-posting limits
· Future vision: expand kitchen/prep and storage downstairs; events upstairs
· Community mentors, family support (shoutout to “Queen Bee” mom) and tattoos that tell the story
Resources mentioned:
· The Hive At Rumsey Creative Kitchen
https://harfordcountyhealth.com
Four Seasons Landscape & Construction SeWhile we perform the traditional lawn and landscape bed services, our passion is providing drainage
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Chapters
1. 10-Year intro (00:00:00)
2. Meet Brittany Russin Smith & cohost Tammie Wingrove (00:01:00)
3. What The Hive is: commissary kitchen + event space; The Honey Loft upstairs (00:02:11)
4. How a commissary kitchen works (licenses, vendors, water/sewage limits) (00:03:35)
5. Brittany’s early career: NSA contracting → Maryland State Police (00:05:03)
6. 2020 cocoa-bomb craze that reignited baking passion (00:07:57)
7. The Hive’s origin story (2023); mentorship from Lagniappe owners (00:10:14)
8. Launching The Honey Loft: micro-wedding giveaway to full venue (00:16:20)
9. Waterfront location, lawns, sunsets; access & vibe (00:19:41)
10. Capacity: ~65–70 downstairs, ~80 upstairs; 150+ using indoor/outdoor (00:20:55)
11. Community events: reunions, graduations, food trucks, mobile bar (00:21:54)
12. Corporate events welcome; future roundtable idea with all Hive vendors (00:22:35)
13. Local pros in the building (e.g., hair-loss specialist Kelly) (00:24:50)
14. Ad break: Four Seasons Landscape & Construction Services (sponsor) (00:32:11)
15. BYO alcohol policy & bartending service vs. liquor license cost (00:32:34)
16. Towne Grill days & early podcast ties (00:34:20)
17. Could a charcuterie or “Hive” truck work? Collaboration talk (00:42:57)
18. Vendor roster: Creative Chef, Full Circle Boards, Lean Kitchen, Purely Prepped Meals, Rave Regina, etc. (00:47:25)
19. Recording a future roundtable at The Honey Loft? (00:50:10)
20. How to contact Brittany (cell shared in episode) & via Facebook (00:51:11)
21. Lightning round: superpower & skill to master (organization) (00:56:34)
22. Closing thanks + supporters Full Circle Boards & Sincerely Sawyer Photography (01:03:32)
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