When Tim Shepardson's young meal-assembly business in Oviedo began to struggle last year, he decided to press the restart button.

 

The Oviedo businessman gutted the inside of My Girlfriend's Kitchen to make way for a new concept, a quick-casual seafood restaurant named TJ's Seafood Shack. It will open in the Town Center Shoppes at Mitchell Hammock Road and State Road 434 sometime in July, near LA Fitness.

 

"We would have had to shut down eventually," Shepardson said, citing that the meal-assembly concept just didn't catch on in Oviedo despite perfect demographics. 

 

The idea was that instead of ordering takeout, families short on time could assemble a healthy meal at Girlfriend's that required minimal preparation once at home. "It was the healthy alternative, not necessarily the easiest," he said about why it didn't work out.

 

Shepardson started developing the concept for the new restaurant in January with co-owner and sister Mary Strickland. It will have a New England seafood-shack feel, with a whitewashed wood shack-like building and rustic wood tables. TJ stands for Tim and Julie — his wife.

 

But Shepardson said it's not going to be a "fry house," where most of the selections are fried. "There's going to be a whole lot of different options. We're still focusing on healthy," he said.

 

The menu will draw on seafood favorites from throughout the country, including Maryland crab cakes, Louisiana seafood gumbo, and fried, blackened or broiled mahi mahi. They will also offer Chicago hot dogs, burgers, chopped salads and a selection of beer and wine.

 

Quick-casual — the hybrid of sit-down eatery quality and fast-food pace — is a newer market that includes Tijuana Flats, Panera Bread and the locally owned Sandfire Grill. Their customers order and pay at the counter, find a seat, and then employees bring out their food, expediting the process and eliminating the need to leave a tip.

 

Shepardson, who's been in the restaurant business for 20 years, said the Shack will be perfect for people who want a casual dining experience but are on a budget. "Where else can you get a seafood plate for less than $10?" he asked.

 

Shepardson and Strickland have plans to help jump-start the often-slow plaza with community events, such as a movie night. They also plan to give back to local schools and other organizations.

 

The restaurant's permitting is almost complete, and the brother-sister team has been working feverishly, painting walls and tile floors and cutting planks of wood. 

 

They both agree that working together on their own restaurant has been a joy so far, and they'll remain just as involved once the place opens, just as a locally owned restaurant should, Shepardson said. "We're gonna do it all — cook, clean and train," he added, his eyes lighting up.