Cranky Hank’s reopens in Shellsburg

SHELLSBURG — Cranky Hank’s has reopened in Shellsburg after closing its Cedar Rapids locations more than seven years ago.

The Quad Cities-style pizza is now Cranky Hank’s Pizza Bank, paying homage to its new location at 114 Pearl St., a former bank.

Owner Keith Hazen said the time was right to pick up with the same level of popularity he left on, with pizzas selling out well before closing time over the past couple of weekends since opening Jan. 7. The restaurant is currently open Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Hazen started the business in 2003 as delivery of frozen pizzas for Mama Bosso, a Rock Island, Ill., pizzeria. In 2005, he opened his first location in the former Donutland site at Williams Boulevard SW, to make the recipe fresh for Cedar Rapids. In 2007, Cranky Hank’s opened a location at Lindale Mall.

The revived restaurant offers a sizable list of specialty pizza options like stromboli, fajita chicken and BLT. The new menu is a smaller, more specialized iteration than before, offering Italian sandwiches, pasta, calzones and salads in addition to pizza.

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