Founded in 2007 by Sean Cook and Matt Piccinin, Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar grew out of a vision for a local establishment that would provide the highest quality seafood and drinks in a welcoming, laid-back environment. The brand began franchising in 2014 and has since grown to over 15 locations across four states, and soon to be five, with average unit volumes sitting at $1 million across the system, coming a long way from its roots as a 900-square-foot space in the oceanside town of Carolina Beach, North Carolina. 

As Shuckin’ Shack continues to grow throughout the Southeast, proving itself as a top notch franchise opportunity, it’s clear that its franchisee backgrounds are as versatile as its menu offerings. 

The brand’s franchisees come from all walks of life; from construction, restaurant management, insurance, bartending...and the list goes on. Five of the brand’s franchisees, in particular, were on different life paths when they decided to sign on with the seafood restaurant concept. 

Sarah Lookingbill, Jason Thorpe, Raymond Rubin, Brad Harper and Will Willis are among the brand’s successful franchisees, proving a diverse number of reasons why they chose to franchise with Shuckin’ Shack. 

Sarah Lookingbill, franchise owner of Leland, North Carolina came from a long history in bartending and restaurant management. Lookingbill initially worked as a bartender as well as front-of-house trainer for eight Shuckin’ Shack locations prior she made the leap to franchising. When she had a baby, she decided she didn’t want to go back to bartending. As she put it, she “needed something bigger and better,” and decided to open up her own Shuckin’ Shack. 

“I wanted to step away and enjoy time with my family,” said Lookingbill. “It’s exciting that Shuckin’ Shack allows me to do that.” 

Jason Thorpe, franchise owner of Summerville, South Carolina came from a background with almost 20 years of food service experience when he signed on with Shuckin’ Shack. He first learned about Shuckin’ Shack in 2014 when he saw a Craigslist ad for a manager/owner position with the brand. Thorpe, who had previously worked for steakhouse concepts, was intrigued. After so many years working for other concepts, he wanted to look into owning his own business and signed with the brand, opening his franchise in April of 2015. 

“I think the real secret is that we deliver customer service culture as guests expect it to be delivered, “said Thorpe. “We treat our guests so they’ll feel like family and will always want to come back. Personally, that is what makes a restaurant so successful.”

Raymond Rubin found Shuckin’ Shack the old-fashioned way: As a customer. He had just moved to North Carolina from Rochester, New York in 2017 and went to a local Shuckin’ Shack restaurant in Surf City. He was “blown away” by the restaurant’s friendly atmosphere. 

“The whole staff treated me so well,” Rubin said. “I was considering purchasing a restaurant franchise, and because of my great experience eating at Shuckin’ Shack, I decided to go for it.”

He opened his Shuckin’ Shack franchise in Jacksonville, North Carolina in March of 2019. Prior to franchising with Shuckin’ Shack, he owned a pizza shop called Old Italy Pizzeria in Rochester, as well as a construction company. He loves the Shuckin’ Shack life and described his restaurant as a “nice, comfortable spot where we treat everybody like family.”

Brad Harper had nearly 20 years of franchising experience when he signed a three-unit deal with Shuckin’ Shack in 2019. Since 1999, Harper has been a franchisee with the fast food chain Zaxby’s, owning and operating six Zaxby restaurants with more locations on the way. 

“Brad Harper is the reason Shuckin’ Shack is going into Florida,” said Jonathan Weathington, CEO of Shuckin’ Shack. “He’s a multi-unit developer with other franchise brands. He has a foundation in place, and so we know we can do well with someone like him who is looking to diversify their franchise portfolio.”

Will Willis, franchise owner of Shuckin’ Shack in Morehead City, North Carolina sold insurance for 20 years, prior to franchising with the brand. Before that, he was in the U.S. Coast Guard for more than 25 years, serving as a food service chef and with dreams of one day owning his own restaurant. 

“I was working in dining facilities floating ashore, so it’s not that different,” Willis said. “With dining facilities, we’re cooking a meal three times a day and now we’re serving meals all day. I took a lot of skills and organizational skills that I learned there and apply that to my business.”

The dedicated effort Shuckin’ Shack franchisees put into their restaurants has paid off. Year-over-year sales have increased each year for the brand’s franchisees. Shuckin’ Shack franchisees also see a quicker ROI thanks to the brand’s occupancy of smaller buildings and labor costs that are lower than the industry average, according to Bill Bartlett, Chief Operating Officer. 

Positive results also show on the customer side. Bartlett noted that, like most restaurant companies, Shuckin’ Shack closely monitors its ratings as well as social media channels. The brand is proud of the consistently positive feedback it receives from its enthusiastic and loyal fan base.  

“Our reviews are over the top, compared to competitors,” Bartlett said. “We generally get 10 to 15 responses a day between our different restaurants, and 95% to 98% of our reviews are four-plus stars. Shuckin’ Shack is clearly offering a value that our guests really appreciate.” 

The startup costs for a Shuckin’ Shack franchise range from $234,200 to $541,350. The franchise fee is $37,500. To learn more about franchising with Shuckin’ Shack, visit https://www.shuckinshackfranchise.com/. 

“They bring to the table what every restaurant person should be bringing: They appreciate their guests and really take care of them,” Chief Operating Officer Bill Bartlett said. “Shuckin’ Shack serves a high-quality product in a casual atmosphere. This, coupled with the genuine engagement of staff members with customers, really sets us apart from other restaurant concepts.”