B.E.E. by the Bay

A whimsical fine art gallery showing eclectic work by local & guest artists

📍131A Main St. Bay St. Louis, MS 39520
📞(504) 587-7117
✉️BEEbytheBayGallery@gmail.com
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About B.E.E. by the Bay

​B.E.E. Galleries was founded in September 2000.  

From our current location, located in the heart of the French Quarter, at 319 Chartres Street in New Orleans, we represent 15 different artists.  Our goal is to make all visitors who enter the gallery feel as though they are coming home.

B.E.E. Galleries was formerly known as Martin LaBorde Gallery and B.E.E. Galleries ownership managed Martin LaBorde Gallery in New Orleans, Louisiana and Carmel-by-the Sea, California from its inception in 1997, until it was purchased by B.E.E. Galleries.

When the owner of the Martin LaBorde Gallery decided to retire from the gallery business, the opportunity was presented and I made the decision to buy the galleries in New Orleans and Carmel-by-the-Sea. Representation of most of the artists stayed the same, with artist Martin LaBorde remaining the main artist in the gallery. B.E.E. Galleries owners and the staff have extensive experience and knowledge operating a fine art gallery. Our goal is to make your art buying experience a pleasant and memorable one.

The events following Hurricane Katrina have prompted significant changes in the way we conduct our day to day business. Since the hurricane we have traveled extensively accepting gallery space in museums, fine art galleries, and wonderful non-traditional gallery showplaces. Please check our exhibit page to view pictures of the exhibits.

After the storm, the gallery was closed for a few months months and in December 2005, unsure of what the business climate would be for tourism and business after the storm, we made the decision to move to a smaller location. We moved from 509 Royal Street to 400 Chartres Street…in retrospect, it was the best decision we have made in 12 years of business. Chartres Street and all the people, galleries and shop owners have been a blessing to us during our transitional time…it was a wonderful decision. Since the space on Chartres was smaller, we moved the frame shop, shipping and receiving, accounting and other gallery departments into a warehouse in Belle Chasse, Louisiana. Four months after our move, a neighboring warehouse caught on fire causing severe damage to the remaining warehouses resulting in our frame shop and services being closed for another four and a half months. It has been a trying time…but after all that has been said and done we are pleased to say we have fully recovered and are looking forward to our second decade as a full service fine arts gallery. We are also encouraged and see an extensive rebirth of the French Quarter Arts District post Katrina.

In January 2007, the New Orleans Historic Collection (owners of our 400 Chartres Street location) announced that restoration to the entire glorious old building that housed our gallery and our second floor balcony apartment would begin in June, 2007 and we would have to relocate once again…..

We made the immediate decision to stay on Chartres Street.   Chartres Street offers a friendly, professional atmosphere filled with unique shops, boutiques, great food, and wonderful fine art galleries…why would we want to go any place else and why shop anyplace else!
We are very excited about our  319 Charter Street location, as of May 15, 2007.  We are excited to once again have all of our artists, frame shop, shipping and receiving, accounting and artists studios under one roof….we have all been conducting business in various places since Hurricane Katrina and it is wonderful for all of us to be together again!  

Over the years, and with us during our hurricane recovery period, many of our clients have become life time friends. As they return to the French Quarter (many several times a year) B.E.E. Galleries has become a destination place. Our new, much larger gallery space will echo the history of the building and the historic past of the French Quarter.
Our clients and gallery friends seem to absorb the heart and soul of the Historic French Quarter…it truly becomes their city…B.E.E. Galleries becomes their gallery!  

Well...here we go...but this time, we have found our final home...B.E.E. Galleries is now know as B.E.E. by the Bay Gallery in the beautiful coastal beach town of Bay St. Louis, MS  We are extremely excited to be a part of this wonderful community that has welcomed us with open arms and made us feel right at home!  Owner, Becky Edwards has also moved full time to the area to open B.E.E. by the Bay, and also to join her husband attorney Ed Edwards.  They have made the coast their full time home, and look forward to sharing gallery artists with locals and the many visitors that choose our beautiful coast as their vacation destination.  Over the years, B.E.E. Galleries NOLA became a destination...we have already welcomed many clients and friends that have visited us and now locals are stopping by to say hello...we are becoming a destination....we are home!

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