Coast River Business Journal
BUSINESS NEWS
April 2021 • 3
Reaching a larger market
Story & Photos by Emily Lindblom
Coast River Business Journal
elindblom@crbizjournal.com
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Emily Lindblom
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Privately-owned businesses in Astoria are
essential for the local economy and ensuring that
dollars spent here stay here. But some businesses
go beyond the Columbia-Pacifi c region to reach a
wider market through shipping products online,
through mail order or to other companies.
Steve Fick, owner of Fishhawk Fisheries, has
been shipping sturgeon, salmon, crab, shrimp and
tuna nationally since he started the company in
1985.
“Ours is pretty simple, we have truck compa-
nies that come here weekly and we ship products
out of here,” Fick said. “It goes throughout the
country, clear to the East Coast, down to Califor-
nia and Texas, and also the Midwest.”
Fishhawk Fisheries also sells through mail
order as well as locally, and people can come into
the plant and buy products directly.
Meanwhile, the new owners of brick-and-mor-
tar stores Pat’s Pantry and Astoria Coff ee Com-
pany are all continuing and building upon the mail
order and online markets the original owners had
established.
Father-and-daughter team Dennis and Savan-
nah Thomas said about 20 to 25% of their busi-
ness has been from online sales since they bought
Pat’s Pantry from Pat Milliman and Tom Leiner in
December.
“Tom and Pat established an online busi-
ness 18 months ago and it’s grown considerably
since,” Dennis Thomas said. As of March, the dig-
ital point-of-sale program Pat’s Pantry uses to keep
track of online orders has 2,800 customers in its
database. “It still boggles my mind, we ship stuff
all over the United States.”
He added his business even ships salts, peppers
and herbs to people who can fi nd similar products
in their own local stores, but perhaps they discov-
ered Pat’s Pantry while on vacation and wanted to
become loyal customers.
“We also have consistent Coast Guard cus-
tomers who were stationed here and then moved
away, so we’re pretty fortunate,” he said. “We have
online customers who repeat orders but also fi rst
time customers, so that’s growing the business as
well.”
Pat’s Pantry has also started selling spices to
food trucks as well as Gaetano’s Market & Deli,
the new Italian grocery store on Commercial
Street.
“Before their shop was open they walked
around and got to know local business owners, and
they walked in here and saw it was a spice shop,”
Dennis Thomas said. “It’s been a nice shot in the
arm for our business and gives us some diversity in
our customer base too.”
Thomas, who also runs Thomas & Son Wood-
works, created a large redwood slab table for Gae-
tano’s to use as the centerpiece of its shop.
Pete Aiken and Sara Moot, who bought Asto-
TRAVEL TRAILER/5TH WHEEL
Savannah Thomas prepares a box full of spices and
teas at Pat’s Pantry.
ria Coff ee Company from the original owner, Rick
Murray, in October, said they’re interested in roast-
ing coff ee for Gaetano’s in the future too.
“We feel fortunate to land in Astoria, where
there are so many loyal fans who are really glad
somebody else is taking on Rick’s legacy and
we’re always happy to see them,” Aiken said.
Aiken estimated about 20 to 30% of his busi-
ness is from shipping and online orders for locals
as well as consumers across the U.S. In addition
to its website, Astoria Coff ee Company also gets
sales from its social media accounts.
“I love being able to ship, it’s great,” Aiken
said. “And it’s one of the areas most likely to see
greater expansion.”
NEW
SHOP!
LARGER BAYS
MORE TECH’S
TRUCK CAMPER/TOY HAULERS
C E L E B R AT I N G 4 2 Y E A R S !
1978 - 2020
Advertising Director
Sarah Silver
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Astoria Coff ee Company owners Sara Moot and Pete Aiken pose with mail orders in front of their store.
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