For most of their lives, Kyle and Angie Howard have worked in corporate environments. Kyle previously worked in the transportation industry for a total of nearly 22 years. Throughout their years together, the Howards have traveled far and wide to different places and countries, and one of the things they’ve come to love through their travels has been food.

“We’ve been fortunate to travel as much as we have, and one of the things we’ve always been struck by is the food,” said Kyle. “I think that’s what got us interested in opening a restaurant to some degree.”

Their passion for unique food eventually led the two to open their very own restaurant franchise with Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar. But, the two were going into this experience without any professional restaurant business ownership experience. So how did they make it work?

The Howards both spent some time briefly working in the food service industry but never had any true restaurant ownership experience. According to Kyle, they had always talked about starting their own business but didn’t know what industry they wanted to enter. Initially, they considered opportunities closer to their corporate backgrounds, but something in their hearts told them to look elsewhere. During their research, Kyle discovered Shuckin’ Shack through an online advertisement. He loves oysters and decided to discuss the potential franchise opportunity with Angie.  

“We had been complaining that there are no good seafood or oyster bars around us,” Kyle said. “We weren’t too serious about it at first, but then we started researching the brand and decided to check it out.”

The couple spent some time looking at the Shuckin’ Shack website and menu, and eventually reached out to the brand’s corporate team. Shuckin’ Shack’s leadership team then invited the Howards to meet with them and tour a couple of restaurant locations. Going into this meeting, Kyle wanted to be sure Shuckin’ Shack would consistently support its business owners as a franchisor, and following their meeting, he determined that they would.

“Meeting with the leadership team really sealed the deal for us. We were really impressed,” Kyle said.

Kyle and Angie officially opened their first Shuckin’ Shack location in September 2022 in Naperville, Illinois. Since the launch of their own restaurant, they have become one of the top performing franchises in the Shuckin’ Shack network. That’s all thanks to the way the couple operates the restaurant, as Kyle says he is the furthest thing from an absentee owner.

“I absolutely love being here,” he said. “It’s a lot different than sitting in boardrooms and conference calls. It’s fast-paced and you get to interact with the customers.”

Kyle takes a hands-on approach to business ownership. On a day-to-day basis, he manages the kitchen, hires staff and also handles the marketing portion of the business. If an employee calls out and the restaurant is short-staffed, he’s always willing to jump in and help his staff. Whether it’s washing dishes, taking out the trash or getting behind the grill, he wants to make sure his employees know he’s always there to support them.

With one restaurant under his belt, Kyle is now considering potentially opening between three to five more Shuckin’ Shack locations over the next few years. Although he hasn’t signed on for any new locations just yet, he recognizes there are still plenty of opportunities to grow the brand throughout his home in Illinois.

“We hear the same thing over and over again on a daily basis: There’s just nothing around like Shuckin’ Shack,” he said.

If he does decide to open new locations, Kyle says he plans to continue to remain an invested owner, and will more than likely still be involved in the day-to-day operations of each of his potential restaurants.

The cost to open a Shuckin’ Shack franchise ranges from $453,000 to $1,128,252. For more information, visit https://shuckinshackfranchise.com.