Along with the announcement of a targeted Midwest expansion, the North Carolina based Seafood and Spirits restaurant, Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar, will be opening a minimum of two units in the state of Georgia by the end of 2018. The first Georgia location, Statesboro, is slated for a Q3 opening. Additionally, The Shack is currently in the property procurement phase in the Cumming market. “For us, both Statesboro and Cumming are natural fits for our concept,” says CEO Jonathan Weathington, “they represent a larger picture of the restaurant landscape in much of the United States – great towns without a lot of access to domestic, delicious seafood. We plan to wow people with what we’ll be putting on their plates.”
“The reason for our success has been our franchisees,” continues Weathington, “they buy in to the culture and foundation of our brand. They want to serve the best products and genuinely want to bring the customer back to the forefront of the restaurant. We’re very proud of that.” That customer-centric approach has garnered a multitude of awards for both corporate and franchise locations for Shuckin’ Shack in a wide array of markets.
The franchisees in their new Georgia markets include Tom Scarborough and Allison Judge in Statesboro, and Michael and Sulyndia Mitchell (pictured) in Cumming. It isn’t difficult to understand why Shuckin’ Shack was attracted to the (now) franchisees in Statesboro and Cumming – they all have significant ties to the restaurant, hospitality, and foodservice industries – with decades of full-service restaurant management and ownership included.
“It has always been a dream of mine to own my own restaurant. The Shuckin’ Shack is the perfect fit for me. I’ve gone through sales and operations…my whole life has led to this point,” says Michael Mitchell.
Founded in 2007 in Carolina Beach, NC, Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar began franchising in 2014. With double-digit units in multiple states and a targeted expansion approach, Shuckin’ Shack seeks qualified individuals for their market expansion. For more information on the concept or how you may qualify to attend a discovery day for franchising, please visit their website.