Chicago-area Foodies Are Already Getting Shuckin’ Hungry for Our Seafood Franchise!  

It’s just the latest in a string of amazing press our seafood restaurant franchise has been receiving- and one that means a lot to us in particular. We’re beyond stoked to see that restaurant lovers in the Windy City are already eagerly anticipating our arrival in their area later this year.

As we begin the westward expansion of our East Coast beach-style oyster bar franchise, we can’t wait to see how each new city reacts to the news of an all-new Shuckin’ Shack coming to town, but we can’t picture it going any better than it already is for our new Franchise Owners in the Chicago area, Kyle and Angie Howard of Geneva, Illinois, who were recently featured in Eater. You can read the full article here. It’s safe to say this is proof that Shuckin’ Shack is already getting serious buzz in the Chicago area!

We were fortunate enough to catch up with the Howards a while back to hear their story and find out what drove them to open a Shuckin’ Shack in their community. In their new interview with Eater, they share more about why they chose our seafood restaurant franchise instead of going it alone as restaurateurs. 

From Corporate America to Owning a Seafood Restaurant Franchise

What’s great about Shuckin’ Shack is that you don’t already have to be an expert in the restaurant industry to be successful. Any business owner can apply our franchise model and truly make an impact in their community, offering a unique experience and a getaway from the standard seafood places nearby.

But the great thing about the Howards is that they’re already coming into the restaurant industry with a high level of business savvy since both Kyle and Angie come from the corporate world, working for the company Navistar International.

Certainly, opening up a seafood restaurant franchise is a world apart from running a commercial trucking and diesel engine business. Still, the Howards are already adapting to their new venture incredibly well before their first location even opens between the Chicago suburbs of Geneva and St. Charles.

According to Kyle, one of the main things that attracted the couple to the Shuckin’ Shack family is our commitment to only sourcing sustainable seafood.

Once the Howards open up the first Shuckin’ Shack in the Chicago suburbs, they’ll only be the second restaurant in the region to partner with the James Beard Foundation’s Smart Catch Program. That’s a tremendous advantage for the Kyle and Angie because it’s a crystal clear way to differentiate the Shuckin’ Shack from everything else around here, as well as to promote their strong commitment to sustainably sourced seafood.

Of course, Kyle and Angie could have chosen to go the sustainable route on their own with an independent restaurant, but for a start-up, the initial cost of doing business is most likely way too steep unless the restaurant has an enormous mountain of cash keeping it above water for the first few years.

For the Howards, our genuine dedication to sustainability is what resonated most with our brand, and we couldn’t be happier to have them on board at a pivotal moment like now!

A vacation-style seafood place like no other…and without the suits, ties, and uncomfortable shoes

It goes without saying that the sustainability message is a winner, yet that’s only part of the reason why the Shuckin’ Shack managed to stay successful during a time when most of the restaurant industry was struggling to stay afloat.

Still, the question is this: what’s the secret to our success? Does it boil down to our business model, or is there something different about our concept that’s truly resonating with our guests?

As Angie put it, the couple has a natural, heartfelt affinity for those casual oyster bars that you find up and down the East Coast from our home state of North Carolina all the way up to Maine.

In those kinds of establishments, the atmosphere is much more down-to-earth and warm than you’d expect. Best of all, you don’t have to sacrifice food quality to enjoy this kind of laid-back environment.

That’s the problem with many restaurant concepts these days. The old-school playbook has always been to grow revenue at scale by appealing to a broader clientele. Generally speaking, most people don’t feel comfortable in a place where you have to wear a suit and tie just to order an appetizer and a glass of wine.

Honestly, we can’t wait for the opportunity to bring Shuckin’ Shack to the Chicago area because we’re confident that our casual concept will make a huge splash in a market that’s saturated with fancy-pants, overpriced seafood. That’s where the Chicago seafood scene is right now.

Why make dinner reservations two weeks ahead at a boring seafood restaurant when you can walk into a Shuckin’ Shack and come as you are, not what you think you should look like to fit in?

If you want to come into a Shuckin’ Shack wearing flip-flops and a Chicago Cubs cap, go right ahead, and while you’re at it, sip a cold beer and taste the best oysters in the state.

Either way, with dedicated Franchise Owners like Kyle and Angie Howard, we’re about to SHUCK up the competition in Chicago!

Would you like more information about becoming a Franchise Owner? Visit our website to get a feel for what we value most at Shuckin’ Shack.