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Walmart to expand into Lakeville 2A Rosemount man sentenced for tax evastion 7A Local officials see rise in synthetic marijuana use 11A
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DATE ##, 2009 FEBRUARY 3, 2011
VOLUME 30, NUMBER # VOLUME 31, NUMBER 49
Dakota County Tribune Since 1884
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INSIDE BIZ
Family-owned Rack Shack BBQ charts an independent course by John Gessner
FORUM
DANE SMITH
THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
flects Until he opened t h a t his own resand the inside taurant, Keith gives you more Hittner’s favorite of a polished feel, barbecue was the we’re OK with stuff he prepared that,” he said. “We’re at home or ventured pretty basic.” into Minneapolis for. Hittner is The Eagan resident the founder of the is generally unmoved Hittner Group, by the fare at barbea real estate cue franchise ressner John Ges firm affiliated Photo by ed with taurants and even n w -o y il Coldm fa a y into hless kind toward ecue hobb dle, and Elliot As well Banker b r a b is h mid rned barbecue at the Burnet. His ittner Jr., Sr., left, tu big-name, general- Keith Hittner h partners Keith H restaurant it interest restaurants. restaurant w co-owners are his son and t. “The chain res- well, righ fellow Hittner Group Realtor, Keith Jr., a 1997 taurants — forget Burnsville High School graduate and current Eagan about it, it,” said Hittner, 57. “If they didn’t put resident, and Elliott Ashwell, a 2001 Burnsville High barbecue sauce on it, you’d be eati eating boiled meat.” School graduate who lives in St. Paul. His joint, a family venture in Burnsville called Ashwell, who manages Rack Shack, is not only an Rack Shack BBQ, is the antianti-chain on the local experienced restaurant worker and manager who got scene. Eighty percent of the b business is takeout, his first restaurant job at 14. He’s Keith Sr.’s future but there’s also a 32-seat dining di room with a son-in-law and Keith Jr.’s future brother-in-law. Ashgarage-y, urban feel. well will marry Morgan Hittner in February. Rack Shack, which will w mark one year in He still remembers the Hittner family gathering at business in March, is locate located in the River Hills which Keith Sr. made his business intentions known. Center on Cliff Road, a h humble-but-bustling “He slid over the dessert,” Ashwell recalled, “and strip mall from anoth another era. The restau- said, ‘So what does it take to open a restaurant?’ ” rant took ove over the old Subway According to Keith Jr., the idea took hold in sandwich space when Sub- mid-2009, when the trio began meeting weekly to way expa expanded into roomier discuss it. quarte quarters next door. “We were kind of BS’ing about it without really Th The hole-in-the- being serious,” the younger Hittner said. “All of a wa wall feel is something sudden, it snowballed. ... And all of a sudden we H Hittner likes about were standing in this vacant space here.” his favorite barbeLike many barbecue aficionados, the ccue spots. elder Hittner has strong opinions to “If the outside re“If See Rack Shack, Page 44A
Governor and Legislature should strive to create the conditions in state for reaching post-high school education goal. 4A
FORUM
Some Republicans say one of their priorities this session is to freeze public and charter school teachers’ salaries. DON 4A HEINZMAN CAPITOL COMMERCE
Former Eagan City Council member and state representative has a possible in-state rival for GOP presidential nod. TIM 10A PAWLENTY CAPITOL COMMERCE
Farmington state representative stands behind bill to exempt animal shelters from sales tax when selling pets. PAT 12A GAROFALO
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