Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Welcome The Good Ole Days
Let's welcome The Good Ole Days to the family of locally owned and operated businesses. They offer handmade aprons, oven mitts, pillow cases and a whole lot more and are happy to make custom orders, too!
Is Phillips Restaurant and Seafood a locally owned and operated business?
Residents around OC as well as visitors to the beach are probably familiar with Phillips Restaurant and Seafood. The company has a long history here on the Shore. Augustus E. Phillips opened a packing plant on Hooper's Island in Dorchester County in 1916. Forty years later, son Brice and his wife, Shirley, moved to OC and opened a crab shack to sell excess crabs from the Hooper's Island processing plant. The restaurant has since grown into a worldwide company with processing plants in Latin America and Southeast Asia to ensure a year-round supply of seafood to its restaurants concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic area, including the original restaurant we're all familiar with in OC.
A visit to Phillips' website shows the corporate headquarters for the restaurants is located in Baltimore. On their website, their "about us" section leaves the impression that they are still a "Mom and Pop" type store here on the Shore.
The restaurant in OC is not "true blue" certified. (True blue certified means that a restaurant serves crab products that are at least 75% Maryland blue crab.) Their commercial on TV, today, claims they serve "Maryland crabs", but we can see from their worldwide operations that the crabs they get most likely are coming from Southeast Asia.
By Shop Local Delmarva's definition of "locally owned and operated", Phillips Restaurant and Seafood, despite being founded as a locally owned and operated business, would not be considered a local business any more. The reason is the headquarters are in Baltimore, the owners' primary residence cannot be determined (at least 50% of the owners must live in the county where the business is located), and after extensive research, it appears Phillips Foods, Inc (the parent company of the restaurant in OC) all but abandoned support of the local communities (OC and Hooper's Island) where the company's roots are.
I really value the opinions of the fans of this page and Shop Local Delmarva. What do you think - locally owned or not? A collection of articles about the company as published in The Baltimore Sun may help you decide. Wikipedia has a brief history of the company as well. And of course, you can always visit their website.
A visit to Phillips' website shows the corporate headquarters for the restaurants is located in Baltimore. On their website, their "about us" section leaves the impression that they are still a "Mom and Pop" type store here on the Shore.
The restaurant in OC is not "true blue" certified. (True blue certified means that a restaurant serves crab products that are at least 75% Maryland blue crab.) Their commercial on TV, today, claims they serve "Maryland crabs", but we can see from their worldwide operations that the crabs they get most likely are coming from Southeast Asia.
By Shop Local Delmarva's definition of "locally owned and operated", Phillips Restaurant and Seafood, despite being founded as a locally owned and operated business, would not be considered a local business any more. The reason is the headquarters are in Baltimore, the owners' primary residence cannot be determined (at least 50% of the owners must live in the county where the business is located), and after extensive research, it appears Phillips Foods, Inc (the parent company of the restaurant in OC) all but abandoned support of the local communities (OC and Hooper's Island) where the company's roots are.
I really value the opinions of the fans of this page and Shop Local Delmarva. What do you think - locally owned or not? A collection of articles about the company as published in The Baltimore Sun may help you decide. Wikipedia has a brief history of the company as well. And of course, you can always visit their website.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Are Maryland blue crabs really from Maryland?
Are Maryland Blue Crabs really from Maryland? Probably not, even when in season. The demand is far greater than what the Bay can produce. As a result, up to 95%, depending on the productivity of the Bay in any given year, of "fresh steamed, Maryland Blue Crabs" you get at a restaurant are shipped to local seafood houses from North Carolina and the Gulf states like Louisiana and Alabama. The seafood houses, in turn, sells them (along with the harvest our watermen do get) as Maryland Blue Crabs.
In fact, when the NC harvest of blue crabs is good (NC has lax restrictions compared to MD), our local watermen suffer. Last year, for example, our local watermen fetched $65/bushel. NC had a bumper harvest and the price per bushel was driven down, even though the average consumer still shelled out around $200/bushel.
This year, the NC crab harvest isn't so good so our watermen are getting $100/bushel. The average consumer can still expect to pay around $200/bushel.
If you're wondering why the retail price per bushel is about the same as last year, but the watermen are getting 17.5% more per bushel, it's because the seafood houses (many are locally owned) need to meet the consumer demand, but they can't "import" the cheaper NC crabs and pass them off as "Maryland blue crabs", so they have to pay our local watermen higher prices for what they catch.
Yes, it's our seafood industry's dirty little secret. As long as the crab passes through our seafood houses, it's a Maryland blue crab even if the crab was caught in NC.
Can you tell I am researching where our crabs really come from? I am surprised to learn two things:
1. There are no laws dictating that to be called "Maryland blue crab", the crab needs to have been harvested from the Chesapeake and it's tributaries.
2. Our own, locally owned and operated seafood houses willingly buy the cheaper NC or Gulf states' blue crabs, pass them off as "Maryland blue crabs" and our local watermen are forced to accept the lower prices per bushel. Especially during lean years, that lower prices can mean the difference between eking out a living wage for the day or spending more money to take the boat out than what they can earn in their catch.
When it comes to our "Maryland crab cakes", the fraud is even more severe. You may be buying a "Maryland crab cake" at your favorite locally owned and operated restaurant thinking you are supporting our local watermen, but there's a good chance you're supporting an Indonesian or Venezuelan waterman.
I don't know what happened to the "True Blue" labeling effort, but, as consumers, we should start asking our restaurants to sign up for it.
In fact, when the NC harvest of blue crabs is good (NC has lax restrictions compared to MD), our local watermen suffer. Last year, for example, our local watermen fetched $65/bushel. NC had a bumper harvest and the price per bushel was driven down, even though the average consumer still shelled out around $200/bushel.
This year, the NC crab harvest isn't so good so our watermen are getting $100/bushel. The average consumer can still expect to pay around $200/bushel.
If you're wondering why the retail price per bushel is about the same as last year, but the watermen are getting 17.5% more per bushel, it's because the seafood houses (many are locally owned) need to meet the consumer demand, but they can't "import" the cheaper NC crabs and pass them off as "Maryland blue crabs", so they have to pay our local watermen higher prices for what they catch.
Yes, it's our seafood industry's dirty little secret. As long as the crab passes through our seafood houses, it's a Maryland blue crab even if the crab was caught in NC.
Can you tell I am researching where our crabs really come from? I am surprised to learn two things:
1. There are no laws dictating that to be called "Maryland blue crab", the crab needs to have been harvested from the Chesapeake and it's tributaries.
2. Our own, locally owned and operated seafood houses willingly buy the cheaper NC or Gulf states' blue crabs, pass them off as "Maryland blue crabs" and our local watermen are forced to accept the lower prices per bushel. Especially during lean years, that lower prices can mean the difference between eking out a living wage for the day or spending more money to take the boat out than what they can earn in their catch.
When it comes to our "Maryland crab cakes", the fraud is even more severe. You may be buying a "Maryland crab cake" at your favorite locally owned and operated restaurant thinking you are supporting our local watermen, but there's a good chance you're supporting an Indonesian or Venezuelan waterman.
I don't know what happened to the "True Blue" labeling effort, but, as consumers, we should start asking our restaurants to sign up for it.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
The next stage?
Possible good news in the next stage of development for Shop Local Delmarva.
The Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation founded a program a few years back by retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant Joe Giordano called Project Opportunity. The program selects eligible veterans from the nine counties of the Eastern Shore for a 10-week, crash course in researching, developing, and eventually creating their own business. The program has been so successful at helping veterans launch their own business, it has expanded to include southern Maryland on the Western Shore up through Annapolis. At orientation tonight, the expansion has gone even further to include Columbia and Glen Burnie.
Shop Local Delmarva, namely, I, have an upcoming, hour-long telephone interview to further determine Shop Local Delmarva's acceptance into the program. The two-and-a-half hour long introduction course tonight went well, but the upcoming phone interview will be a milestone. If accepted into the program, I will be able to formulate a business plan and, after ten weeks, possibly pitch the plan to potential partners or investors to take Shop Local Delmarva to the next stage of development.
A key reminder to current members of Shop Local Delmarva and to locally owned and operated businesses considering listing with Shop Local Delmarva: your basic listing is and always will be free. That is one key point that any business plan developed between now and November will include.
The Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation founded a program a few years back by retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant Joe Giordano called Project Opportunity. The program selects eligible veterans from the nine counties of the Eastern Shore for a 10-week, crash course in researching, developing, and eventually creating their own business. The program has been so successful at helping veterans launch their own business, it has expanded to include southern Maryland on the Western Shore up through Annapolis. At orientation tonight, the expansion has gone even further to include Columbia and Glen Burnie.
Shop Local Delmarva, namely, I, have an upcoming, hour-long telephone interview to further determine Shop Local Delmarva's acceptance into the program. The two-and-a-half hour long introduction course tonight went well, but the upcoming phone interview will be a milestone. If accepted into the program, I will be able to formulate a business plan and, after ten weeks, possibly pitch the plan to potential partners or investors to take Shop Local Delmarva to the next stage of development.
A key reminder to current members of Shop Local Delmarva and to locally owned and operated businesses considering listing with Shop Local Delmarva: your basic listing is and always will be free. That is one key point that any business plan developed between now and November will include.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Sadly ironic....
Sadly ironic, but, yes, the story drives home the importance of shopping locally. After 22 years, Zia's closed, the owners citing competition with the big chains forced the decisions. Cracker Barrel, a national chain restaurant, plans on opening at Zia's old location. This is what happens when local people choose not to support their locally owned and operated businesses. The uniquely local businesses close their doors, and Your Town, Your Community becomes Any Town, USA.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Saturday, Aug 10 is Shop Local Delmarva Day
Ever wonder who's behind Shop Local Delmarva? Saturday, August 10th, the guy who always talks to you through cyberspace will be at Raffies Warehouse Clearance Sale for Shop Local Delmarva Day. On top of taking advantage of great deals, like $10 wool area rugs or $20 framed pictures and a hodgepodge of other estate items, you can meet the founder of Shop Local Delmarva. I know I'm curious as to who he is (just kidding, I know who I am). Come on out and ask him any questions you may have like how Shop Local Delmarva can help your business or what the future of Shop Local Delmarva is. Hope to see you there!
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Welcome Perennial Roots Farm
Located in Accomack County and serving Northampton County, Perennial Roots Farm is a sustainable farm specializing in heritage breeds and heirloom crops. With genetically modified crops creating quite a stir among the general populace and the growing concern for sustainable farming, Perennial Roots Farm has returned to the tried and true methods of farming from yesteryear. Heritage breeds of chickens, ducks, rabbits, and other livestock "live off the land" and don't require grains as their primary food source. What you get from heritage breeds are richer eggs and better tasting meat. Heirloom crops are adapted to our environment and are naturally disease resistant and compete well with "weeds", all traits which eliminates the necessity of using herbicides and pesticides to grow the crops. Besides, the heritage breeds of animals do a good job at controlling weeds and pests! So let's welcome Perennial Roots Farm to the family of locally owned and operated businesses, a farm dedicated to restoring the agricultural and economic vibrancy the Eastern Shore of Virginia was once known for.
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