To say that the Irishman’s Shanty has been a force of nature and a staple in the Crookston Community is an understatement. As Paul Gregg proudly talked about the ownership history of the Irishman’s Shanty, he recalled a few conversations he had with Andy, specifically telling Andy, “I want you to be the person here.” Paul entered the business in 1984 when his two older brothers operated Gregg Potato across the street. Fresh out of college and into the Shanty is a path both Paul and Andy took. Andy comes with a master’s degree in Criminal Justice and thought he would try entrepreneurship. Paul graduated with a two-year degree in Hotel Restaurant Management, followed by a four-year finance degree from Mankato.
Paul went on to answer, “no, I’m not leaving the Shanty. This just makes life easier. As an owner, you no longer have 52 vacations a year (referring to weekends), and the job keeps demanding more and more. You buy yourself a job, and you need to decide your own exit strategy. Luckily, Andy has a few other friends who work with their dads. It’ll be good for Crookston. He is the physical owner, but the customers are the real owners. Carol Gregg has been here and plans to stick around. There are many things that she does that free me up to do other things. Now there will be three Gregg’s here.”
Paul went on to chat about the 20-30 staff at the Irishman’s Shanty. The full-time employees are the ones with the real continuity, adding they sure have a lot of great employees. They strive to keep 3-4 in the kitchen and hope to maintain that. What sets them apart is that they aren’t part of the corporate world. For instance, one guy makes the Beer Cheese Soup, another makes the Chicken Dumpling Soup, and another makes 6-7 other creations. They always have the opportunity to be unique.
Andy proudly shared his journey as becoming the new owner. “I grew up in the Shanty. In high school, I came here to cook for lunch every day for a work-study. Coming back all these years later is like riding a bike. It’s good to be back.” Paul added, “I don’t think he had one meal at the high school as a senior.”
Andy went on to explain how things were different in Crookston from the Fargo/Moorhead area. There is a sense of community, and the Shanty feels like home. Andy also shared that, in reality, there are too many new ideas to put into place right away, and it sure doesn’t happen overnight. His plan is to keep the favorites, focus on the flavors and elevate from there. Down the road, he may decide to explore other brewery options explaining that four are in the works right now in can form.
The Gregg’s laughed as they recalled a couple of older gentlemen who are regulars. “They have their own stool, and when they walk in, people get up and move to allow the regulars to have their spot.” It has a “Cheers” feel to it, where everybody knows your name. Andy emphasized that his education in leadership will go a long way in this new venture. He looks at the Shanty as a four-part business all rolled into one, including the off-sale, restaurant/bar, banquet room, and catering. Andy shares that he appreciates the “norms” but is always open to new customers as well. “A business that stays the same won’t last, but one that evolves with the community will last forever.” Well said, Andy, well said.
