A Toast to Good Timing

by Kurt Epps, a.k.a. The PubScoutMay 1, 2026Food & Drink, North Brunswick, Pub Scout

Photography by Megan Deitz

Donna and Bruce Ruggiero turned a casual lunch conversation into the revamping of the community hub at Brunswick Beer Xchange.

Donna Ruggiero, who owns Leland’s Brunswick Beer Xchange, knows the importance of good timing.

Back when she was just a customer of the place known as BBX, Donna was out to lunch with the former owner when that owner casually mentioned that she and her husband were thinking of selling the business they started in 2021.

And it was at that moment that Donna, the former New York attorney for The Estée Lauder Companies, had a light bulb come on. She and her husband, Bruce, discussed all the reasons why they could not and should not buy the business — and then they did it anyway.

Which, if you know the story of how they came to be Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Ruggiero, should surprise no one.

Donna walked into a Long Island bar with friends and saw the handsome Air Force serviceman. He did not use any of the standard pick up lines.

Not “Do you come here often?” Not “Haven’t I seen you somewhere before?”

Just, “Say, do you want to go to a wedding?”

“Whose?” she answered.

“Ours,” Mr. Smoothie replied.

And the rest is history, as the happy couple, married 39 years now, awaits their first grandbaby in September. And that baby will come into the family fully associated with a thriving, successful business.

My trusty sidekick, Father Dave, and I recently headed up Highway 17 to see what changes have been wrought at Brunswick Beer Xchange since the Ruggieros took over operations.

The building is the same on the outside as it always was. The inside has changed a bit, and the vibe is distinctly different.

There are still 40 beers on tap, but while NC and SC beers are still proudly represented, the taps have gone international as well as interstate, thanks to Beer Manager Catherine Corrigan, who has a level one cicerone rating. Her husband, Mike Corrigan, is a carpenter who made much of the furniture in the place.

Customers will now find Warsteiner Pilsener and Cherry Chouffe as well as Harp and Pacifico. Father Dave enjoyed a few 8.9% Honey Pie IPAs from Bird Song (it’s OK, I was driving), and I knew he’d be in Catherine’s capable hands. But the selection is sure to please most beer nuts, and there are four coolers of cans to choose from, too. A nice wine selection is also available.

Yours truly enjoyed a few Tropicalias out of Creature Comforts Brewing in Athens, Georgia, which Catherine suggested. Trust me. Trust her.

The beers are not served in Mason jars as they used to be, but in standard pint glasses.

Bruce has even changed the light fixtures, which also used to be Mason jars. And he’s obsessive about cleaning the beer lines after a keg kicks.

The artwork on the walls has changed as well. Upon entering BBX, patrons are greeted by a bright mural that simply says “Cheers!” painted by local Leland artist Lauren George of Nouveau Creative.

The back wall is now covered with the work of local artists, and one of them, Robert Parks, was there during our visit donating his newest work to Donna and Bruce. Patrons can buy any artwork they fancy right off the walls.

Charitable giving is a driving force with the new owners, and community involvement permeates their business. Donna finds many causes important enough to support, and she encourages her customers to come along for the ride. Sometimes she even goes door-to-door to solicit participation from other businesses.

Plentiful activities at the business satisfy even the most entertainment-hungry patron, from wildly successful Poker Nights to Chili Cook Offs to Dart Leagues and a constant array of food trucks.

There’s even a sharing library on the premises where those quiet types can take a book, leave a book or plop down in a plush chair in the “parlor” for some private time.

The bar seating is smallish but cozy and comfortable, and the outside area is sprawling with plenty of room for enjoying the spring weather. The interior offers sufficient seating for large groups and privacy as well.