Rick Groomer, president of Groomer’s Seafood, hangs out with a few of his freshest friends in the new wholesale and retail facility in North Beach, Corpus Christi. Staff Photo
Step into the new Groomer's Seafood on North Beach in Corpus Christi for a taste of fishmonger madness straight from Seattle.
“We put on quite a show here,” said Rick Groomer, one of two brothers who own the business. “We see the North Beach area as quaint fishing community with that tourist appeal. We want to give people a great experience when they come in.”
The new location opened in October with 8,000 square feet of wholesale and retail space. A huge panoramic window gives customers a front row seat to pick out the freshest catch and see it prepared in style — entertainment with promise of a great meal after!
The San Antonio-based company is one of the largest seafood distributers in the state of Texas. Groomer’s Seafood services nearly 2,000 restaurants, country clubs and retail stores in the Lone Star state, including Whole Foods. The company is also the Fresh Seafood Distributer for Sysco Foods.
The family owned business has been deeply rooted in the fishing industry since the late 1800s. Today the company is run by brothers Rick and Mike Groomer, who are excited about their new digs by the bay.
“We are blown away by our introduction to the Corpus market,” Rick Groomer told Corpus Christi Business News. “We have been going gangbusters since day one here.”
As much as the Groomer brothers love Corpus Christi, the decision to expand the business was not an easy one. While the company has experienced tremendous success in its central Texas location, a seafood company located inland presented obvious challenges. The company needed to be closer to its product.
“We had to think long and hard about expanding into a new market,” Rick said. "But everything is timing, and right now the seafood industry is growing exponentially.”
Setting up shop to sell seafood in a coastal city also came with a set of problems.
“In this area people have so many choices for seafood,” Rick said. “We weren’t sure how the retail side would do initially, but we feel very fortunate. It has just taken off.”
The lines at the counter testify to the success of the retail arm of the operation. Aside from the fresh fish and the great entertainment, Rick says Groomer's woos customers with what he calls TOS, or “Totally Outrageous Service."
“I am not sure where I picked it up from, but it stuck with me and it is our philosophy,” Rick said. “It is all about giving customers the best experience of their life. It starts from there and the rest follows. It is not about selling fish. It is not about making money. Just make it to where people are so darn happy, they just can’t help but like you and the fish sales will come.”
Rick added emphatically, “When customers leave here I want them to have the best day of their life and that's what we do!”
It seems to have worked if their social media popularity is any indication. They have already garnered 40,000 San Antonio Facebook fans and more than 5,000 in the Corpus Christi market.
Taking Care of Business
With the expansion of Groomer’s Seafood distributers to the Corpus Christi area, local seafood lovers have access to more than the finest that the Gulf has to offer. Groomer's also carries catches from different regions of the globe. Imports from the most remote destination can be on your plate in 24 to 48 hours of being pulled from the see in Indonesia, Nova Scotia, Nigeria or elsewhere.
Despite it's size and global reach, this seafood titan is much more family than it is corporate. The Groomers' forward-thinking approach to business places a high importance on ensuring the sustainability and fairness in the fishing industry.
“This industry has been very good for us,” Rick said. “We are fortunate to be in a position now to give back, so we try to be good stewards of the fishing industry.”
For the brothers this means supporting the fishermen.
“We know both sides of the industry,” Rick explained. “We grew up as commercial fisherman so we know the hardships and what it takes to make a living. We want to make sure that the source itself — the fishermen — are taken care of, that they are treated correctly and fairly.”
Groomer’s Seafoods supports the local fishermen and crabbers partnering in feeding programs, providing free ice, offering needed tools and materials at cost and always operating with fair rates.
Other plans on the table for Groomer’s include a processing plant in North Beach. For now, Groomer's stocks full lines of gourmet spices, infused oils, Asian and other imported items, as well as all sorts of fun cooking gadgets and serving dishes.
So whether you are wanting salmon from New Zealand or fresh local fare, head over to Groomer’s Seafood. If Rick Groomer has his way, you'll have fun, make a good buy and enjoy the freshest seafood around.
