PORT TOWNSEND — For the owner of the new waterside restaurant at Point Hudson money is not the only measure of success.
“We are looking to create a great customer experience,” said Tom Aydelotte about Doc’s Marina Grill Port Townsend, located at 141 Hudson St.
“We’d rather make a few dollars less and have happy customers than have a lot of record days where customers go away unsatisfied,” he said.
Aydelotte, who has owned and operated a restaurant on Bainbridge Island since 2003, spoke on Friday, 10 days after he opened in Port Townsend.
It was a “soft opening,” with an attempt to keep everything low-key until the staff has learned all the new systems,
“I want the staff to learn how to handle everything expertly where they can just find something without thinking,” Aydelotte said.
Doc’s is in the location last occupied by T’s Restaurant, which closed last December.
The space, owned by the Port of Port Townsend, required a bid process to set up the business, and Aydelotte prevailed over Sirens and Galatea Cafe owner Kris Nelson.
T’s was one of the posher establishments in Port Townsend, but Aydelotte is striving for a more informal feel.
“We are a more jeans and T-shirt kind of place, although we will be serving high-quality food,” he said.
Aydelotte said his steaks measure up to those of any restaurant, posh or not, even though it costs more to serve the really good meat. But, as he says repeatedly, profit isn’t the most important thing.
The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.
While his Bainbridge restaurant serves breakfast, Aydelotte was relieved when the Port asked him to sit that meal out to not compete with its other tenant, the Point Hudson Cafe.
Staying open until 11 p.m. is a rarity in Port Townsend, since few restaurants serve past 9 p.m.
Aydelotte hopes to change the town’s eating habits with the later hours and offering something that is worth coming out for.
This week he plans to introduce a “late happy hour menu,” with sliders, appetizers and other treats to be served from 8 p.m. to closing.
“There are a lot of places around here where you go in during their regular hours and they’ll tell you the kitchen is closed,” Aydelotte said.
“If you come in here at 10 minutes after 11, I’ll serve you, as long as the door isn’t locked.
Aydelotte, who is managing the restaurant with his wife, Tessa, has hired 37 people.
He said he wants to provide thorough customer service.
“We want people to have a really good time so they come back,” he said.
The restaurant serves 80 people inside and another 74 on the deck, which is a prime eating spot when the sun is out.
Aydelotte would like to cover the deck so people could enjoy the view when it rains.
“I built a covered deck in Bainbridge and it’s great. During the winter, it’s like being in an upside down snow globe,” he said.
“I’d like to cover the deck, but I don’t know if it will be possible in this building.”
Aydelotte is attempting to keep his prices down but he said liquor costs are out of his control, adding that under recent privatization, costs have risen more than 20 percent.
Since he had to buy his entire stock under the higher price structure, his drinks are about 75 cents more than the competition.
“I’m at a disadvantage here,” he said.
“All of the local restaurants were able to stock up under the old price structure so they have a lot of reserves, but when they have to restock everything will even out.”
For more information, phone 360-344-3627 or see http://docsgrillpt.blogspot.com/.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
