Today we’d like to introduce you to Rusty Sutton.
Hi Rusty, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
The vision was to open a social shopping place. A safe place for everyone to shop and feel welcome. No matter who you were, what your religious or political beliefs were, or if you were gay, straight, black, or white. It wouldn’t matter! It would be a gift shop with a coffee or wine bar called The Green Monkey.
My name is Rusty Sutton, the founder, and co-owner, and Drew Temple, my life partner/husband of 30+ (married for 2) years. Most people think The Green Monkey began in October 2013, and some believe it started in 2007 at the Raleigh Flea Market. Truthfully, I began envisioning how it would look back in 2001. All of the details were not clear, and I had no freaking clue how to make it a reality, but I knew somehow we would.
The Green Monkey started in 2007 under a blue tent at the Raleigh Flea Market at the NC State Fairgrounds in booth number 217; besides this lovely couple, Amy and JP sold pet supplies. You may have heard of their business, Unleashed! (Now they have 8 locations throughout the Triangle and Wilmington, NC area.).
We looked very different back then, but our mission was still the same—a safe place for everyone to shop and feel welcome. We are proud to have been the first at the Raleigh Flea Market at the NC Fairgrounds to sell gay pride, equality, and diversity-themed gifts. A couple of years after we began under the tent, we were allowed to move inside to a permanent space inside the Education Building.
In the Spring of 2012, a dear friend’s mom, Rose, knew that I was working on a business plan and wanted to open my store. She owned a successful restaurant in Raleigh. One day she asked me to come back into the kitchen. She asked if she could see my business plan after I finished it. Did I ask why? She replied, “I believe in you, and I want to help you get your store.”
A few weeks passed, and I gave her a copy of the finished business plan. She liked what she saw and told me to see a property on Hillsborough Street, the old Royal Food Mart. With much skepticism, I visited the place, and I even purchased a bottle of water. A guy passed out with a bottle of Wild Irish Rose leaning against the building. A few minutes later, I went back to her and told her there was no way in hell I was moving my gift shop to that place. No way!
In the Spring of 2013, I was invited back into the kitchen again. She sat me down and said to stop being an ass and listen to her! She knew what she was talking about, and she could make it happen. Okay, I said, but I asked her to go with me Drew to see a couple of other properties. I will go back to the Royal Food Mart if we can’t find one. You know how that ended.
Happily, we opened our doors in October 2013. But, to get this space, we purchased the inventory from the Royal Food Mart. I compromised my vision and added the convenience store with the gift shop. I wasn’t pleased with this choice at all. Hell, I wasn’t completely sold on the location yet!
Our grand opening was good with lines at the register, and people came in all day long. Unfortunately, it all stopped on the second day, and no one was coming in. As weeks passed, we had customers from the Royal Food Mart become frustrated because their food mart wasn’t what it once was. We had people come in from our flea market days just to be disappointed and walk out! Seriously, Drew and I thought that we had messed up.
A tattoo artist from our neighbor’s Phoenix Tattoo came in to buy his daily purchase of soda and a pack of nabs and chips. He asked me how business was. For some reason, I opened up to him and told him the truth. I thought we would have to close down. Then, I shared my original vision with him. He gave me some great advice that day. He suggested, “Why not do it your way.
If you continue on this path and go out of business, you will always second guess yourself. If you are going down, go down doing it your way!” A few days later, I called a meeting with Drew and Rose. I told them this wasn’t working, and I felt we would not make it. I told them I wanted to do it my way! If we go down in flames, at least we will go down doing it my way!
In the summer of 2014, we began clearing out most convenience store items. The first thing to go was cigarettes and other tobacco products. Then, we started switching out the mass-produced beer for the small craft breweries. The business went into a tailspin! I mean, it was a freefall! There would be days when no one would come in!
In October 2014, we got our on-premise beer license. This license would allow you to drink a beer while shopping with us. Drew built two small bars at the front windows. We used our dining room chairs as bar chairs, and we didn’t have any money to buy chairs! Slowly, the actual vision was taking place.
Summer of 2015, we got a surprise phone call from one of our beer reps saying that one of her clients had a small tap system they needed to sell to upgrade to a bigger one. I texted Rose! She showed up at the store within thirty minutes, giving me a list of questions to ask. I’ll never forget what she said that day, “This is what you have been waiting for.” My vision was about to become a reality.
Our 2nd Anniversary celebration opened our new craft beer bar inside our gift shop with three delicious craft beers on tap plus single cans in the cooler. MonkeyFan Nate Pettibone built our small beer bar with store credit! We were beyond grateful. The new bar had seven mix-match stools that MonkeyFans donated. Including the MonkeyFan bench!
By January 2016, our accountant suggested that we expand the bar. In a short time, it had paid for itself. I made a phone call to that same beer rep that had helped us before. This time she found a buyer for our small system and found us a great deal on our current one. And, again, Nate agreed to build another bar with a store credit and cash for materials! Beyond grateful.
Since the opening of the bars, we have experienced exponential growth. We’ve expanded the gift shop to a third room and added new and exciting products from small makers across North Carolina and beyond.
Summer, 2017 we hired our first employees, Denyse & Laura Jane. We added outdoor seating and wine by the glass to our menu. Denyse is still part of the Monkey team, and Laura Jane still visits as a MonkeyFan. December 2018, Drew walked away from the security of a steady paycheck from his “real” job to take his place beside me as co-owner!
We have received many accolades along the way. Readers of the Indy Week newspaper have nominated us as one of the best Gift Shops and Neighborhood bars for three years running! Our gift shop was rated in the TOP 3 Gift Shops in Raleigh by ThreeBestRated.com in 2018 & 2019.
On June 12, 2019, we learned we were voted the Best Neighborhood Bar in Wake County by the readers of the Indy Week! Sadly, we lost Rose about a year ago. But, I’ll never forget the day she told me how proud she was of us a few months before she passed. And I told her how grateful I am that she got firm with me in her kitchen!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, but is anything ever?
Like many other small businesses, we have had just as many struggles and challenges as we have won. This raging pandemic has been our biggest challenge yet. We would not have made it if it hadn’t been for our loyal MonkeyFans. We are grateful for many of the programs we qualified also.
In the beginning, our biggest challenge was being undercapitalized and not having much experience. I did lots of research before and after opening to learn some of what I needed to know. Fortunately, nine years later, I see much more information available for small businesses. I wish I had hired a coach in the beginning!
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Drew, my husband, who co-owns The Green Monkey with me is always my biggest supporter but he will tell me when I’m not at my best. We’ve had so many loyal MonkeyFans that are always advocates and cheerleaders.
Denyse, without her I don’t know how we could have made it. She has been such a great asset to us. I have to shout out to our business coach, Cathy! She keeps us focused and moving forward.
Contact Info:
- Email: rusty@greenmonkeyraleigh.com
- Website: www.greenmonkeyraleigh.com
- Instagram: @greenmonkeyraleigh
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/greenmonkeyraleigh
- Twitter: @greenmonkeyshop
- Youtube: The Green Monkey TV
- Yelp: The Green Monkey
Image Credits
Rusty & Drew, Walter Magazine
