Shuckin’ Shack CEO: Why Lake Norman may be next up for popular oyster bar chain
A Carolina-born, coastal-inspired seafood restaurant chain is eying Lake Norman as part of its latest expansion plan, its CEO told The Charlotte Observer.
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Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar is looking for local franchisees for two more locations in the Charlotte region, including Denver-Lake Norman, CEO Jonathan Weathington said in an interview Friday.
“It’s beautiful,” Weathington said about Lake Norman, adding that he has family in the area.
Lake Norman also “has rooftops,” a key criteria when his company considers locations, he said.
He also mentioned other areas in the Charlotte region as possibilities for either of the new locations, including Gastonia-Belmont, Shelby-Kings Mountain and other areas of Lake Norman.
Shuckin’ Shack locations give back to their communities, and potential franchisees would have to be local and similarly community-minded, he said.
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Shuckin’ Shack was founded in 2007 in Carolina Beach and is headquartered in Wilmington. The brand has nine N.C. locations, including Salisbury, and 10 in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Maryland and Illinois.
“Known for its beachy aesthetic, the restaurant specializes in East Coast oysters and fresh seafood offerings,” CharlotteFive reported when a Shuckin’ Shack location opened in April at Promenade on Providence in Ballantyne.
The menu also has chicken wings, salads, sandwiches and a signature Breakwater Burger. Locations also have full cocktail bars.
Weathington said pricing is more in the middle range of what diners expect when they think “seafood restaurant,” and Shuckin’ Shacks draw “a very diverse mix of clientele.”
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