Genesis Block’s new venture with Shuckin’ Shack gives space to aspiring restaurateurs.
Native Wilmingtonian Gerard Newkirk has given the community another way to establish local businesses. His company, Genesis Block, now runs another commissary kitchen for entrepreneurs downtown.
Last fall, Genesis Block took over the kitchen/café at Cape Fear Community College’s north campus and called it Block Eatz. This provides a new food option for the area and serves as an incubator for aspiring restaurateurs by offering them brick-and-mortar space to develop their businesses.
This summer, they launched a second initiative, Block Kitchenz, by leasing space in the commercial kitchen at Shuckin’ Shack’s new corporate offices on North 3rd Street.
Newkirk, who owns Genesis Block with his wife, Tracey, left the Port City for Silicon Valley and is back with a mission. “The bigger vision is to establish a network of food production and distribution hubs that empower local food businesses and build a sustainable local food system,” states Newkirk.
Shuckin’ Shack, a successful local seafood chain, partnered with Genesis Block because they understand what’s involved when opening a restaurant. CEO Jonathan Weatherton recalls the challenges of opening the first Shuckin’ Shack in Carolina Beach in 2007. The company now has franchises in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia, with more in the works.
The Shuckin’ Shack gang will still use the kitchen, which they call Out of the Weeds, to train staff and hold events.
Block Eatz functions as a restaurant, while Block Kitchenz is designed for businesses offering takeout and food trucks. Both kitchens offer licensed food producers a health department–inspected commissary kitchen to grow their businesses before investing in a storefront, according to Aariene Hansley, Genesis Block’s education coordinator.
Smash N Dash food truck was the first beneficiary of Block Eatz. Co-owner Danny Pasillas struggled to break into the restaurant industry, but with access to the kitchen on the northern campus, he gained experience while receiving guidance on how to run a brick-and-mortar restaurant, navigate regulations and save some money.
Pasillas now is able to deliver to customers within eight miles of the college using Block Eatz’s partnership with the food delivery app ChowNow. He’s now cooking at Block Kitchenz to start his next venture, Sexy Food Grill.
“It’s been a really great experience,” says Pasillas. “I recommend this to anybody.”
The story originally appeared the Summer 2024 issue.
