Back in 2007, Shuckin’ Shack co-Founders Matt Piccinin and Sean Cook had a craving for fresh oysters. Living in the sleepy coastal town of Carolina Beach, North Carolina, they figured it shouldn’t be too hard to find an oyster bar, right? WRONG.

Realizing they’d stumbled onto an unmet need in their local restaurant scene, Matt and Sean hatched a plan to open their own fresh oyster bar and seafood restaurant. Through cases of beer and plans scrawled on napkins, the pair’s dream materialized as a 900-square-foot monument to domestic seafood, cold beer, and laid-back fun for the locals. 

Shuckin’ Shack was an instant hit, but things didn’t really get cooking until Jonathan Weathington joined the crew in 2014 in franchise development, then quickly becoming CEO. 

Shuckin Shack features fresh, high quality seafood like you’d find in white tablecloth establishments, but in an atmosphere more like a beach shack and certainly way upstream from what you’d expect from fast food. 

 What impresses me most about this brand is it’s leader, and all the right things he’s doing to sustain the growth as he scales this brand. That’s why Jonathan Weathington is this month’s Rising Star.