The Real Mother Shuckers

Ben “Moody” Harney is one bad "mothershucker." A former oyster hater, Harney began to appreciate the beauty of the bivalve while working as a shucker at Williamsburg's Maison Premiere. But it was when he dove into the history of oyster shuckers and its ties to economic prosperity for freed African Americans that he became hooked. Soon, Harney began roaming the streets of New York with his moveable oyster cart, shucking oysters under subways and telling the history of the craft. Now with a permanent space in Pier 57, Harney is still set on bringing oysters to the people.