Bee Haven Honey
Images by Allison McAdams
Cincinnati, Ohio—Bee Haven Honey owner Sam Gordon didn’t always plan to become a beekeeper. “I read the novel The Secret Life of Bees and found it enchanting,” she says. Initially, she had no intention of opening a shop; she just wanted to see what it was like to keep bees. “I feel like I came at this all backward,” Gordon says. “It all just slowly evolved.”
In 2005, Gordon and her mother, Colleen Zurek, attended a beekeeper’s meeting at Parky’s Farm and purchased two hives. With the help of local beekeepers, they learned how to keep their hives alive and were able to split them to make more the following season. Eventually, they produced enough honey to start selling at the Northside Farmers’ Market and as a weekend vendor under the farm shed at Findlay Market. In 2008, Bee Haven Honey moved into a permanent spot at Findlay Market under the roll-up doors. In 2019, Gordon opened a brick-and-mortar shop on Elm Street across from the market.
Today, Gordon runs Bee Haven Honey with her husband, Scott, after her mom passed away in 2011. In addition to their shop at Findlay Market and selling at the Northside Farmers’ Market, she partnered with Chocolats Latour to open The Chocolate Bee in Northside in 2015. You can find a collection of Bee Haven’s handmade honey, beeswax candles, hand salves, and lip balms at both shops.
For Gordon, the most significant part of this adventure has been learning from the bees, seeing their connection and how they work together, which has spilled over into her relationships with people who come into the shop. “We’ve just developed a lot of close friendships through this,” she says.
Bee Haven Honey at 1815 Elm St.
The Chocolate Bee at 4037 Hamilton Ave.
No. 55 Notable
This article was originally published in a past issue of Edible Ohio Valley magazine. Subscribe to be the first to read each issue or order back copies while supplies last.
Kelsey Graham is a freelance writer with experience writing about food, restaurants, and the people behind the businesses. She graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Master's in Professional Writing and a Bachelor's in Art History. As a loyal and enthusiastic Cincinnati transplant, she enjoys spending her free time exploring the city's thriving and ever-expanding food scene with her family whenever they get the chance.
