Fifi Bell-Clanton and Gwendolyn Woods made major career moves to become co-owners of The Crabby Shack, a Brooklyn seafood eatery that has become a destination spot for tourist and locals alike. In late 2013 Fifi approached Gwen about opening a crab restaurant in Brooklyn. At the time there was a lack of crab eateries in New York, so the two took a chance and entered into the restaurant world.

When Fifi and Gwen opened the space in 2014, Neither had run a restaurant before. FIFI was a stylist whose clientele included Alicia Keys, and Usher. Gwen had spent 20 years in Artist and Repertoire at Bad Boy Records, the hip-hop label founded by Sean Combs.

The idea was to do a small crab-focused takeout restaurant that felt like you were transported to a seaside destination, with almost everything on the menu being a tribute to the crustacean.