Shuckin’ Shack’s frist Fresh and Raw Tour yielded $52,000 for LLS. The goal this year is $75,000.
Oyster bar franchise Shuckin’ Shack is once again bringing tunes with a twist to its Fresh and Raw Tour, an event series hosted by the restaurant brand with sales supporting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. This year’s goal? Raise $75,000.
“I believe in true customer service,” said Jonathan Weathington, CEO of Wilmington, North Carolina-based Shuckin’ Shack. “When people dine, I believe they’re looking for an experience and don’t give a shit about tablets or screens.”
The Fresh and Raw Tour, which began September 13 and runs through October 3, is an evolution of the live music events often hosted at Shuckin’ Shack restaurants. What started as a marketing idea for the brand turned into a music tour with a philanthropic focus thanks to co-founder Matt Piccinin. As someone living with chronic myelogenous leukemia, Piccinin already had a connection to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The organization’s funding of research over the years has in turn helped Piccinin to live his life as ordinarily as possible.
The Fresh and Raw Tour brings up and coming artists to small towns for Shuckin’ Shack patrons.
“Leukemia is basically blood cancer, you can’t get rid of it,” said Piccinin. “I cannot go into remission. I do take chemo pills daily, so for me being able to give back for what has been the organization that helped all of the research to cure leukemia means a lot.”
That research turned what was “a death sentence” 20 years ago into something Piccinin can live with, he said. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society doesn’t only fund research focused on blood cancers, but also other forms of cancer as well.
The first Fresh and Raw Tour, held in 2022, grew out of Weathington’s desire to bring bigger musical acts and up-and-coming artists into the performance fold at Shuckin’ Shack’s restaurants, of which there are now 19. “We put together the entire tour in about a seven-week period,” said Weathington of last year’s series. “Our goal is, excuse my language, just [expletive] do it.”
This year’s Fresh and Raw Tour is taking place from September 13 to October 3.
The tour raised about $52,000 last year, also benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. This year’s tour—which is hitting 16 locations throughout North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Maryland and Illinois—features performances from “The Voice” season 9 contestant Barrett Barber and singer-songwriter Taylor Goyette, whose videos have drawn more than 20 million views on social media.
Related: Shuckin’ Shack Keeps Local Feel as It Moves Inland
The day the Fresh and Raw Tour comes to a restaurant, that location doesn’t “make a dime,” Weathington said. Instead, all money made that night goes to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and customers are also invited to make donations. Those who can’t attend a show can still donate directly to the LSS.
“We’re in the industry because we like giving people a good time and good food,” said Weathington. “I lost my own dad to cancer, and any research to me is good research, and we want to push that forward.”