Law & Pretzels A title like that might not make for a very exciting TV show, but it's this ex-lawyer's life story.
By Devlin Smith
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
"I guess I was dissatisfied with the profession and mypractice, and was looking for something else to do, something morerewarding than being an attorney." Such was the mindset ofHarry Rieck more than six years ago, when he decided to leave thelegal world and start a business.
Through his brother-in-law, Rieck secured a retail space atSawgrass Mills mall in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. "The locationsuited itself for a snack-food-type franchise," he explains.With the right space and purpose in mind, Rieck researched varioussnack-food niches before settling on pretzels and then on AuntieAnne's.
With help from wife Sharon, 31, Rieck, 44, opened his franchisein 1995, a store that co-brands Auntie Anne's pretzels withKohr Bros. Frozen Custard. Five years later, the Riecks opened asecond location, this one serving only pretzels, at the other endof the Sawgrass center.
But rolling dough isn't Rieck's only passion. Since1997, he has been on Auntie Anne's regional advisory council,serving as president for the Southeast region for three years. Inthat position, Rieck helped bring together Auntie Anne's andthe Children's Miracle Network, a charity the franchisesupports through various fund-raisers. "We wanted somethingeveryone could feel good about doing, and CMN seemed to be[perfect], because no one [objects] to helping out sick kids,"Rieck explains.
Although running two stores, serving on the advisory council andraising a growing family make for long hours, Rieck's new lifecontinues to bring him a level of satisfaction he never achieved inthe legal profession. "I'm much happier doing this,"he says. "This is hard, but it's fun."
