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"Some people are stuck in jobs they don't want to be in, but that's not the case with me," he said. "I really enjoy
my work." Hanson said he really likes the food preparation aspect of being a chef, but even more, he takes
satisfaction with the unique type of people-contact work which is part of being associated with an
individually-owned restaurant. "Obviously I have a passion for cooking, but the relationship with the customers
is what I like best about it. You're one-on-one with everyone you meet." This has been true for Hanson ever
since he began working at Spanky's, he noted. "Most of the time I'm cooking, but as much as I can, I try to come
out and chat with the customers and let them know they're thanked for coming out," he said.
Interacting with the customers isn't as common in all restaurants as it is in Spanky's, Hanson stressed. "I've
never seen it at a franchise restaurant," he said. "I'd never be professionally involved in a franchise restaurant
because customer relations are always better at a self-owned business. It's kind of a family out there." Hanson
admitted he as "a little timid" about customer relations at first, "but grandpa and grandma came out weekly, and
I'd go out and talk to them and it evolved into talking to everybody. Sometimes if I can't go and talk to people
(because of being busy), they'll come back and talk to me, which I enjoy just as much. But, Hanson emphasized,
Spanky's isn't simply going to be about socializing with customers, Primarily, he stressed, it will be about
food-good food. Spanky's will feature a lot of fresh seafood, and "I'll cut all the steak myself and prepare them
over the charcoal pit," he said. "I'd like to do specials other restaurants don't have, such as signature sauces made
from scratch. The quality of the ingredient is always the key." And yes, Hanson will continue to be the head chef -
at least for now- as well as the owner-operator. "I'm going to continue to cook, because that's the key ingredient
in making a restaurant successful," he said. "But I want to go out and see the crowd, too."
Restaurants must be flexible, Hanson noted. "With so many restaurants, you can't always stay the same," he said.
"The menu has to be constantly changing to accommodate people's tastes. However, Hanson was quick to add,
the basic character - or the name- of Spanky's will not change. The regular summertime staff will remain too, he
added.

Excerpt courtesy of the Frazee Forum
Story by Jerry Barney

Josh Hanson said he'll have just one regret as he takes over Spanky's
Stone Hearth Supper Club, on the shores of Rose Lake May 4th, 2005.
The regret: His grandfather, Roger Hanson, who died at 79 January 3rd,
2005 won't be there for the opening. He was eating at Spanky's with his
grandfather (and grandmother Donna) when he was offered a job there
11 years ago. Also, he continued, Grandpa Roger's advice, "To thine own
self be true" had a lot to do with his buying the restaurant. In addition,
he noted, he lived with his Grandpa and Grandma Hanson for the first
four years of his life.