Shuck Yea: Shuck Brothers Mobile Oyster Bar Is Rolling Again in Colorado

Denver's dynamic food-truck scene just got a splash of coastal flavor with the return of Shuck Brothers, a mobile seafood pop-up trailer fueled by friendship, fresh catches and a deep love for hospitality. With a focus on sustainably sourced seafood, the team delivers a reimagined approach to ocean fare in landlocked Colorado.

The story began years ago at Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar in LoDo, where Jesse Migchelbrink, Riley Campbell and Garrick Abt formed a tight-knit bond while working together during shifts in the oyster "shuck cage." What started as a job shucking oysters, bussing tables and occasionally bartending eventually led to a sustainable seafood business grounded in hospitality and community.

"Riley and I have been best friends since I was probably fourteen or fifteen," says Abt. "We've been joined at the hip ever since. ... And then we met Jesse working at Jax."

Migchelbrink and Campbell originally launched Shuck Brothers in 2019, with their first big event in Vail on closing day. Like most small businesses, though, they faced challenges during the pandemic and paused local operations Migchelbrink soon moved to Los Angeles, where he continued refining the concept and built a strong local following.

By late last year, the friends had decided it was time to get back to business in Colorado, they reached out to Abt, their old shucking partner. While he wasn't officially part of the first iteration, he was always in the mix and a believer from the beginning.

"I was living with Riley at the time and helped out at a few events. I've always felt really strongly about the concept, and just kind of the vibe. Always felt that it had potential and would be a success," Abt recalls. "They hit me up, and were like, 'Do you want to come on board?' I thought about it for about 1.4 seconds, dropped all my other plans and here we are."
Campbell and Abt are now steering the Colorado side of the business, while Migchelbrink continues to oversee operations in California. Across both states, Shuck Brothers emphasizes that sustainability is more than just a buzzword. It's woven into the fabric of their business through a commitment to thoughtfully sourced seafood, with a focus on traceability, environmental responsibility and exceptional quality.

"Sustainable food, especially sustainable seafood, is so important...particularly with oysters. If done properly, it's one of those things that can be really, really good for the ocean and the environment. That matters a lot to us. If it's not done properly, it can be the opposite," notes Abt. "Super important to us to work with purveyors who practice responsibly."

To achieve this, they've partnered with a variety of reputable purveyors. In Colorado, they primarily work with Blue Fin Seafood through What Chefs Want. "They do a killer job. You pretty much can't get it sea to table any quicker," explains Abt.

The menu is a testament to their dedication to quality. While a variety of East and West Coast oysters remain their signature offering, Shuck Brothers isn't afraid to innovate. Oysters are served on the half shell with spicy, housemade horseradish cocktail sauce and house mignonette, or a bold housemade firewater for those who like a little extra kick. The traditional Maine lobster rolls are packed with fresh lobster meat and finished with just the right amount of garlic butter, served on a toasted brioche bun that's quickly becoming a fan favorite. The peel-and-eat shrimp, flash-boiled in a proprietary broth, tossed in Old Bay seasoning and served chilled with that spicy cocktail sauce satisfies all shrimp lovers.
In addition to the seafood staples, Shuck Brothers is working on a few new menu items to round out the experience. "We will have French fries — a couple different types like garlic parmesan and salt and vinegar — up and running very soon. And we recently partnered with Sweet Action for custom ice cream sammies. We're thinking a sugar cookie with lemon ice cream," says Abt. It's also teamed up with Chupacabra Paletas, a local company that makes Mexican-style fruit pops, and will be offering a rotating selection of flavors. "So yeah, we've got some menu expansions coming up," he adds.

As the team celebrated its reintroduction in Colorado last weekend at Vail Brewing Company, they're gearing up for a packed summer season. From Taste of Fort Collins to Boulder Creek Festival and a series of high country appearances, Shuck Brothers is ready to bring coastal flavor to every corner of the state. It will also be popping up at local breweries and is available for private catering events and weddings.

While Migchelbrink has shucked over 1 million oysters, Abt is closing in on that number, "I'm not putting up Jesse numbers yet," he admits, "but after about another six months of doing this, hopefully I'll be hitting that million mark."

Follow Schuck Brothers on Instagram @shuckbrothersco or go to shuckbrothers.com for menu specials and upcoming appearances and events.