As a sign proclaimed, grand opening festivities at the new Swinomish Shellfish Co. venture on First Street were “shucking awesome.”
A large crowd, including tribal and town leaders, gathered on a warm and bright sunny afternoon Thursday, April 16, to celebrate the much-anticipated launching of the Shuck Shack, which will serve raw oysters, clam chowder and beverages four days a week.
Several event speakers lauded the Shuck Shack mission of providing a casual outdoor dining experience featuring shellfish from the local Swinomish Indian Tribal Community.
“This didn’t happen overnight,” said Swinomish Chairman Steve Edwards, who moments later invited La Conner Mayor Marna Hanneman to mark the occasion by joining in on a ceremonial slurp from an oyster shell.
“It took a little time to see if this was the direction the tribe wanted to go,” Edwards added. “But the timing was right. We thought, ‘Let’s do it and give it a try.’”
Turning toward Hanneman, Edwards said Swinomish was honored to have worked with the Town of La Conner to make the project happen.
“Hopefully we can grow with the Town of La Conner, be good neighbors and be successful with one another,” Edwards said.
Tribal Senator Fred Cayou, citing the need to properly inaugurate the Shuck Shack, presented members of the Swinomish Canoe Family with a heartfelt blessing song.
“We’re very, very thankful for today,” Cayou said, “and to be able to bring this out in a good way and with a good feeling.”
Swinomish Senator J.J. Wilbur, who also serves on the La Conner School Board and as a Skagit County Fire District 13 Commissioner, pointed out that the Shuck Shack food truck will operate where the tribal community’s administrative office building once stood.
His great-grandparents, the late Laura and Tandy Wilbur Sr., managed the office there after Swinomish acquired the downtown property during World War II.
Wilbur recounted that its Japanese-American owner, facing internment following Pearl Harbor, made the waterfront site available to Swinomish at that time.
Starting in the 1980s, after having moved its administrative offices to Moorage Way in Swinomish Village, the tribe operated a popular open-air market on its La Conner property.
“This piece of property has a lot of Swinomish history,” Wilbur said.
Wilbur praised the work of the Swinomish Development Authority (SDA) in navigating the Shuck Shack from its planning stages to last week’s grand opening and blessing ceremony.
He credited SDA Director of Retail Operations Tim Ballew and his team with converting the First Street location in just a few months from a pop-up tent operation with take-home oysters to today’s expanded menu and outdoor seating venue.
“He definitely hit the ground running,” Wilbur said of Ballew.
Hanneman expressed appreciation for the Shuck Shack presence in La Conner.
“We’re so thankful for you bringing this here,” she told Edwards. “We’re looking forward to great oysters. We’re thankful you’re here.”
Shuck Shack hours will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Bill Reynolds is a general assignment reporter for La Conner Community News.
Photography by Nancy K Crowell
