In the heart of Tipton lies The Shack, formerly Pizza Shack by the Tracks. The Shack reopened on April 4 after closing due to the previous owner retiring, and because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The restaurant has been in Tipton for over 30 years and is the place to be when dining in Tipton.
The grand reopening was a smashing success with record numbers – numbers which were broken again on the first Saturday after the reopening.
“The response to The Shack coming back to life in Tipton has been amazing,” says Brett Morrow, part owner. “The numbers we are seeing have greatly exceeded our expectations.”
The Shack is currently owned by Morrow and his partner, Jama Fernung. Morrow handles the business and real estate part of the restaurant, and Fernung runs the day-to-day operation of the kitchen and dining room along with General Manager Mike Jackson, who also worked for the prior owner. Everyone in Tipton knows Jackson from his days running Pizza Shack. He was also an integral part of renovating the building housing The Shack. Jackson is a key part of the management team and plays an active role in the reopening of The Shack. He brings with him the knowledge of everything locals loved about Pizza Shack.
The abilities of these locally based individuals serve to form a solid team. Fernung also owns DeLullo’s Trattoria in Cicero. Morrow owns two other restaurants, 10 West and Bien Mexicana in Cicero. Bien Mexicana is also owned by his partner, Angela Garcia.
The Shack was typically the place to go for the best pizza in the area, and now offers the amenities of a full-service restaurant. The setting is modern industrial, offering the same menu items centered around the famous Shack pizza, and customers can now enjoy a full-service menu and bar. The atmosphere Morrow and Fernung are trying to achieve is a relaxing place to have dinner on the main floor, and patrons can move upstairs to the Loft to just hang out and watch a game on one of the big screens.
“The place needed a complete remake and had not been renovated or changed since 1984,” Morrow says. He and Fernung are striving to keep the consistency between the old Shack and the new Shack. With such a huge local following, they wanted the restaurant to have some familiarity with the past.
The menu has been upgraded with a much wider offering to include steaks, fish, chicken, handhelds, and a variety of appetizers and side dishes. While pizza was the mainstay of The Shack, Morrow and Fernung wanted to bring a finer dining experience to Tipton. The Shack also offers a fully stocked bar. Pizza delivery and full menu for takeout will be available around the first of May.
“We understand people want takeout, but during construction the kitchen becomes stressed and this could impact service,” Morrow says. “We would rather take a little extra time to ensure all the processes and procedures are such that we can deliver a product customers want, and that we can be proud of.”
Morrow is already making plans to open his third and final restaurant in Cicero. This venue will be a bourbon and cigar bar, which will be located at the same intersection as 10 West. Since local businesses close relatively early in Cicero, Morrow believes the bourbon and cigar bar will be an excellent complement to 10 West. He hopes it will be a place diners can go after dinner to have a bourbon, cigar or dessert. Construction on this new venue is scheduled to occur some time over the summer. An opening date is yet to be announced.
The Shack is open six days per week, offering lunch and dinner. The restaurant is closed on Tuesdays. Reservations are highly recommended and can be made through the OpenTable app.
Visit The Shack at 311 East Jefferson Street in Tipton. For more info, go to theshacktipton.com.
