Shakey?s Moving HQ to Fayetteville

Shakey’s Frozen Custard is in the process of moving its corporate headquarters from Joplin, Mo., to Fayetteville.

The company recently leased 2,400 SF of space in the Three Sisters building on Dickson Street to be used as corporate offices along with offices that already exist in Joplin.

“Within the next few years, we’re going to move all the company heads here, and the company will be based in Fayetteville,” said Corey Osborne, CEO, who works from the Fayetteville headquarters.

Shakey’s currently has six company stores and 25 franchise outlets throughout Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Tennessee, Texas and Florida. Another 16 stores are under construction or are undergoing renovation. Next, Osborne plans to open stores in cities such as Atlanta, Los Angeles and Houston to be used as regional training centers. Currently, all employee training is done at a Fayetteville store.

Osborne said Shakey’s is a family business that has grown into a corporation. Also involved in Shakey’s are Osborne’s father (nicknamed Shakey, for whom the company is named), a stepmother, two brothers and three stepsisters.

The first Shakey’s opened in 1991 in Joplin. Osborne, who graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1995, opened the second Shakey’s at 2835 N. College Ave. in Fayetteville in 1997.

He has since opened a second Fayetteville store at 2050 W. 6th St. that serves as the training center for employees. The 6th Street store is also the closest in appearance to the prototype stores that will be constructed in the near future. The prototype stores will be 1,248 SF in size. Shakey’s offers walk-up and drive-through windows but not inside seating. The stores are designed with a retro look and have oldies playing through the sound system.

Osborne said frozen custard was introduced at a World’s Fair in New York City in the early 20th century. Osborne’s father came up with the idea of opening a frozen custard store after tasting the dessert “up North,” Osborne said.

Osborne said the frozen custard made by Shakey’s is basically homemade ice cream.

“Shakey’s doesn’t inject any air, additives, fillers or preservatives,” Osborne said. “It’s all-natural ice cream.”

Osborne wouldn’t divulge financial statistics. But he did say the store on Fayetteville’s College Avenue had 720 cars drive through to buy custard during the 721 minutes it was open on the Saturday before he was interviewed for this article (April 14).

Shakey’s has extended its hours since then. The stores are open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday and from noon to 11 p.m. on Sunday.