Every moment matters.
Our Story
We’re so grateful for the opportunity to take a larger-than-life idea from dream to destination. Every day, the event spaces, eateries and entertainment venues that make up Honey Hill and The Hive continue to offer up a series of pinch-me moments for our family.
Dreaming big
We set our hearts – and cameras – on building a one-of-a-kind community gathering space. It means the world for us to be able to share our project with you every step of the way – starting with a behind-the-scenes look at the making of The Hive and Honey Hill. We hope that our story will inspire you to dream just as big as we have!
Our town has made such a lasting impression on me. Vivid memories of Popcorn Shop ice cream cones. Grilled cheese at the Woolworth’s counter. Feeding the ducks – and 5-year-old me taking photos on the big green frog.
Fast forward to adulthood, and I can still remember every moment and emotion we’ve felt being a part of this community for the past 11 years. Beyond supporting our tiny carryout shop, Hungry Bee, you’ve trusted us with your celebrations, cheered us on as we expanded our family and helped us grow our little business in life-changing ways.
Now, we’re sharing all that love right back with The Hive and Honey Hill. Family, food and community are still who we are. It’s what we know. So, through offering these thoughtful plates and places, we want to give space to even more meaningful moments. Hoping to keep your hearts as full of love and appreciation as ours are.
Thank you for dreaming along with us. We are so grateful.
A living love letter to our community
While we refer to The Hive and Honey Hill as our living love letter, we thought it was only fitting to actually write one to try to express what this project, this community, and your continual support means to our family.
hivekeeper + host
Kimberly McCune Gibson
Creating community and connection throughout the Chagrin Valley has been a passion of Kimberly’s since childhood. The daughter of a beekeeper, she learned early on the importance and interdependence of land and people.
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A Kenston grad, she was awarded a scholarship to pursue her dream of becoming a chef at The Culinary Institute of America. (Thank you, Chagrin Valley Rotary!) As she trained in classical European cuisine and traveled internationally, the importance of supporting neighbors and local makers and growers was amplified even further.
Forever grateful for the generous support, Kimberly was dedicated to giving back to her community. After working in local restaurants, including the original Timberfire and Moxie – where she met her husband, Jimmy – she committed to “walking her talk” and opened Hungry Bee to provide for busy families, neighbors and friends.
In 2013, Kimberly added the title of mom and reality show participant to her roles of chef, wife and empress of honey. In a few years’ time, she added three daughters to her family – and competed on The Food Network series “Chopped.”
Kimberly is active in the Chagrin Valley Chamber of Commerce, Kenston Schools and Chagrin Valley Rotary Club. In addition, she started The Blue Cooler Project to provide no-cost meals to community members in need. In her free time, Kimberly enjoys time at home with her daughters, date nights with Jimmy spent supporting local, independent restaurants, and catching up with friends over dill pickle martinis and snacks.
In establishing The Hive and Honey Hill, Kimberly is giving back once again – and looking forward to sharing plates, places and possibilities with the community she truly loves.
hivekeeper + host
Jimmy Gibson
Jimmy’s love of food was woven into his family heritage. Growing up as the grandson of a well-known butcher and business owner, Jimmy’s many early memories of time spent at that shop shaped his passion for food at a very young age.
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After attending Benedictine High School and Ohio University, Jimmy once again felt drawn to preparing food and followed his heart into kitchen after kitchen.
His first taste of restaurant life was experienced at Fire in Shaker Heights under the guidance of chef Doug Katz. At Fire, he gained kitchen skills and learned the inner workings of running a restaurant.
These experiences led Jimmy to Moxie and its sister restaurant, RED the Steakhouse in Cleveland. While at RED, his team earned the prestigious Esquire Award and was named Playboy’s Steakhouse of the Year. Jimmy has been invited to cook at the world-renowned James Beard House, catered New York Fashion Week and met his wife, Kimberly – crafting his favorite industry partnership.
In 2013, he realized his dream of being an owner when he and his wife opened Hungry Bee. He’s proud of their commitment to local growers and farmers and serves as a champion for independent small business owners.
When Jimmy is not cooking, he enjoys the Grateful Dead, playing guitar and piano, gardening, tending to their chickens, and spending as much time as possible in nature with his wife, their German shepherds and their three beautiful daughters.
In establishing The Hive and Honey Hill, Jimmy carries forward his family legacy and lifelong love of food. By welcoming the community to their table, he aims to share extraordinary food and hospitality with old friends and new generations.