October 14, 2010 We're Closing the Aquarium Cafe
Often in business things just don’t work out the way we plan. It is with deep grief that I announce Local Ocean Seafoods will be closing our operation at the Oregon Coast Aquarium at the end of September.
Local Ocean has received many benefits and learned critical lessons during our tenure with the aquarium. One key insight that has emerged from this experience is a deeper recognition of what Local Ocean’s core business is: giving people the best seafood experience of their lives. This has become our not only our company mission, but also our brand identity.
As the exclusive food service provider at the Aquarium, our position required us to do many things that were outside of or not relevant to our core business. It was impossible not to recognize the challenges our management team faced in needing to execute multiple strategies and game plans outside our sphere of knowledge, expertise and passion. Eventually this put an undue strain on our core business, and as such the business was starting to suffer. We were trying to do too many things and as such were not doing anything particularly well.
The decision to stop attempting to make changes and corrections to meet the unique needs of the Aquarium customer base did not come easy. We are honored and grateful for the opportunity to have served at the Aquarium. We look forward to a continued relationship in ways that can bring the best out in what we do best as a company. Sustainable seafood exhibits, catering, and special events are all great fits for both organizations.
To our Local Ocean Café customers – we thank you for your patronage. To the staff and volunteers at the Aquarium – we thank you for your support and friendship.
