Photo by Beth Wade
Photo by Beth Wade
Photo by Beth WadeDessert shop expands to offer diners barbecue
With a small dining area and patio, Hello Sweetie might be overlooked by people as they drive past. However, the restaurant, located at the end of a small series of shops attached to a gas station at the corner of Austin Avenue and Leander Road, offers a bevy of sweet treats and barbecue.
Years of working in Austin with the Texas Lottery and attending festivals had given owner Al Shankle a glimpse at the food truck industry. After an injury made him leave his job, he decided to try his hand at owning his own business and open a food truck. However, the the constant loading and unloading became too much for his back, and he decided to open a brick-and-mortar location, he said.
With the help of two part-time employees, Shankle has been serving customers at Hello Sweetie since May 2012.
"If I had [a restaurant], I wanted something where it was warm and inviting," Shankle said of the restaurant's name. "When I came here, I started with shaved ice, ice cream and a few baked goods."
