Scott Richardson wakes up every day and brings a little taste of the ocean to Gainesville. Dealing directly with suppliers to deliver only the freshest fish, he owns and operates two seafood stores in the city that serve residents, retailers and local restaurants.
Richardson and his business partner, Lee Deaderick, bought Northwest Seafood on NW 16th Blvd after graduating from the University of Florida. While attending the college, both men worked at the store part time, and after graduating had the opportunity purchase it in 1991.
“We bought the store because it was a good opportunity, and we enjoyed the business,” Richardson said. “It’s a fast-paced business – the inventory turns and it moves.”
Richardson described his business as “a big city fish market in a small town.” He sets it apart by dealing directly with suppliers and fishing boats to sell only the freshest seafood.
“Literally you can get a fish here that was swimming in the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean yesterday without the fish having to go to Jacksonville or Tampa to be dispersed,” he said.
Richardson grew up in Gainesville and now lives in Evinston, Fla., with his wife Lacinda. When he’s not working, he enjoys clay target shooting and other outdoor activities. Richardson and Deaderick were childhood friends, and they go hunting and fishing together when they have the time. Richardson loves the community aspect of towns like Gainesville Evinston.
“I’m a fourth-generation Floridian,” Richardson said. “My dad was in business in Gainesville, so we know a lot of folks. I enjoy the small town flair.”
In 2006, Richardson opened another Northwest Seafood in Tioga Town Center because he wanted to expand and reach a different market. Gil Levy, president of Tioga Town Center, said the center always hoped to have a seafood store, and Richardson’s plan fit their needs.
“People who have dealt with Scott and Lee have always been very pleased,” Levy said. “They are very honorable businessmen, and that’s why I like working with them.”
The second Northwest Seafood differs from the first because it has a full kitchen to cook customers’ purchases. The store is 400 square feet smaller than the original store, but the kitchen allows the employees to cook purchased fish and produce Northwest Seafood’s famous fish dips.
“Say you saw a pound of grouper that you wanted at home and you said, ‘Fry me up that piece of fish.’ We charge you two extra dollars to fry it,” Richardson said.
The store also sells sides, and they have a few bar stools if customers want to eat in the store. Richardson refers to the store as “regrettably one of the best kept secrets in Gainesville.”
Levy said the cooked food is just one of many aspects that distinguishes the Tioga location from other stores.
“The freshness of the seafood, the quality and their attention to customer service is what sets them apart,” Levy said. “Scott and Lee are very dedicated to their community and they participate in all types of events.”
One of those events was the 2011 Iron Chef Gainesville competitiong. Richardson donated all of the fish for the event. He said he supports causes because he wants to foster a sense of community.
“As a whole, a lot of people have lost their sense of community,” Richardson said. “That’s just the way we live now. You pull into the garage, you hit the button, you’ve got your computer and you’ve got your phone. We are all busy with family. We are a lot more self-absorbed than we used to be.”
Richardson supplies fish to many restaurants around Gainesville and Andy Fass, chef and owner of Amelia’s, likes buying from Richardson because of a common understanding.
“He’s a business owner just like me and understands the trials and tribulations of running a small business in Gainesville,” Fass said.
Richardson also supplies to Bento Café, Saboré, Sushi Matsuri, Mildred’s Big City Food and several other restaurants in Gainesville.
Fass said he enjoys working with Richardson because Richardson is a down-to-earth, family man with a great product.
“Their fish is nothing but top quality, I don’t even have to check it anymore, I know it’s going to be great. With some other seafood companies you have to check it, but I know where their seafood comes from,” he said.
Richardson prides himself on satisfying each customer every time they walk into the store. While he aims to support Gainesville’s economy, he said he sells as much local product as possible because many consumers prefer it.
“Gainesville is a good place to do our kind of business because seafood is very regional,” he said. “Gainesville has people from all over the country and the world, and we have many different people come in here asking for stuff and a lot of the time we can deliver what they want. I think this is a very nice community.”