New Raleigh business combines café, bar & games. When it will open
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Biddy Thomas will open this spring at 2409 Crabtree Blvd., Raleigh.
- Business combines retail, cafe, bar and game tables.
- Owner hopes business welcomes and connects people of all generations.
Margaret Soler had a career in publicly funded behavioral health. It was fulfilling work, and she never intentionally searched for a career change.
Yet over time, she developed a concept for a business that would combine retail, restaurant and bar service, but with the atmosphere of a friend’s home.
Last year, Soler decided the time was right, and began focusing on Biddy Thomas, opening this year at Raleigh’s Gateway Plaza.
Ideas about what Biddy Thomas would be came from Soler’s experiences and those of her family, including her grandmother, the namesake of the business.
Soler’s parents owned an independent bookstore for nearly 50 years, and Soler thought she could manage her own retail shop. She’d sell things like stationery, notebooks and playing cards.
But if she sold cards, she’d want people to be able to have a place to play games.
And she wouldn’t want them to feel rushed, so she’d want to offer wine.
But if they grew hungry, she’d want to serve food, maybe a sandwich.
Biddy Thomas, set to open this spring next to Union Special at 2409 Crabtree Blvd., combines all of that.
Raleigh Magazine first reported on Biddy Thomas.
What is Biddy Thomas?
In a retail section of the business, Soler will sell gifts such as playing cards, stationery and desk calendars.
There will also be a dining area, where guests can order from a café-style menu of sandwiches, salads, soups and homemade desserts. The dishes are inspired by Southern cuisine and nod to New Orleans, the city where Soler lived while attending Tulane University and where her grandmother was born.
For drinks, Biddy Thomas will offer signature cocktails, beer and wine.
Soler’s husband, Ramón Soler, has years of experience in the restaurant industry and will bring his expertise to Biddy Thomas.
There will be tables where guests can play cards or mahjong and a separate space for events such as poker tournaments.
The building also has a garage-style door that can be opened when the weather’s nice.
Soler hopes that Biddy Thomas becomes a place locals take visitors, a place that defines the community. She also wants it to be a “launching pad,” where young chefs can gain experience, artists can showcase their work and musicians can play in front of audiences.
Her vision is for Biddy Thomas to feel like a welcoming clubhouse.
“I like nice things. I like good food,” Soler said. “I like good music, and I hate pretension.”
Who is Biddy Thomas?
Though Soler never met her grandmother, she admires her and the women of her generation.
After her husband died young, Biddy Thomas found a job to support her family — unusual for many women at the time. Her two sisters, whose husbands had also died, lived near each other in New Orleans. Biddy’s mother moved in with her.
They stuck together, supporting each other, helping care for each other’s children. Soler imagines them spending time together in the evenings, telling stories and sharing meals.
It’s that kind of intergenerational gathering that Soler hopes to foster at Biddy Thomas. Maybe it’s grandparents and grandkids dining together. Maybe it’s an older generation teaching a younger generation how to play bridge.
Or maybe it’s hosting a breakdance competition for multiple age groups — under 20 and over 50.
This story was originally published March 12, 2026 at 9:06 AM.
