Location, location, location.
Picking the wrong location is the greatest pitfall that Sam King, President and CEO of King’s Seafood Company would avoid when opening a new location.
In 1984 King’s Seafood graced the streets of downtown Long Beach with 555 East Steakhouse. Twenty-nine years later they are stronger than ever. They currently operate 17 locations with various cuisines throughout the Southland, including the notable King’s Fish House, which first welcomed guests as Pine Avenue Grill in 1988.
Since the 80s, King’s Fish House has undergone various changes. From acquiring a new name with the addition of their King Crab Lounge, the evolution of King’s Fish House has proven to be valiant and profitable. With the knowledge garnered from each successive opening came the introduction of an improved menu. Their menu, which is printed daily, allows King’s to manage seasonal offerings and offer “the freshest seasonal product.”
While King’s Seafood has striven to “fill the needs of all guests through all restaurant segments – from fast casual to fine dining, from seafood to steak,” their admirable philosophy couldn’t have prepared them for what happened at their Ocean Avenue Seafood opening in 1987. Sam King gives us the insider dish; “It was around the third night of opening at Ocean Avenue Seafood a cocktail waitress quit, stripped completely naked, and walked out of the restaurant.” We have all heard of shucked oysters but shucked servers?
All of the restaurants operated by King’s Seafood Company receive their seafood straight from Santa Ana, courtesy of their very own King’s Seafood Distribution. King remarks on the efforts of his team to enhance guest experience. “Our team is constantly finding new ideas, new materials, and new techniques to improve upon the product, service and decor throughout our restaurants.”
For King and his team, each opening is one of their greatest sources of pride and their riskiest endeavor. “You never know whether or not guests will walk through the door,” says King. “We eliminate as much risk as possible by providing excellent service and a delicious product to each of our guests.”
King’s Seafood is part of our series highlighting restaurant groups and chains founded and flourishing in Orange County that were featured in the May|June 2013 print issue of Great Taste Magazine. Click here for the entire article.
