Pike Place Fish Market Modernizes High-Traffic Operations with Square
Seattle’s iconic Pike Place Fish Market is modernizing its business operations after selecting Square as its unified commerce platform. The historic seafood retailer, which has operated at Pike Place Market since 1930, is adopting Square to simplify payments, improve day-to-day operations and establish a technology foundation that can support the business as it continues to evolve.
The move marks a significant technology upgrade for a business that has built its reputation on tradition, personal service and an unforgettable customer experience. After more than a decade using another payment system, Pike Place Fish Market decided it was time to move toward a more flexible and modern platform while preserving the distinctive atmosphere and operating style that have made it one of Seattle’s best-known destinations.
Located inside Pike Place Market, the seafood business welcomes a steady stream of local shoppers and tourists throughout the year. Pike Place Market itself attracts significant foot traffic, while the Fish Market has become an attraction in its own right because of its energetic fishmongers, high-quality seafood and famous fish-throwing tradition.
A Seattle Institution Built on Experience
Pike Place Fish Market has been part of Seattle’s commercial and cultural landscape for nearly a century. The business is particularly known for its fishmongers throwing fish across the counter, a practice that began in the 1960s.
The tradition reportedly started when owner John Yokoyama improvised by throwing a fish to a colleague to save time during a busy period. What began as a practical solution eventually became a signature part of the customer experience.
Over the years, the fish-throwing tradition has helped Pike Place Fish Market gain international recognition. The company’s approach to customer service and workplace culture has also been featured in books and documentaries and has influenced businesses beyond the seafood industry.
The market is located within the historic Pike Place Market, which was founded in 1907 and occupies approximately nine acres. The public market remains one of Seattle’s most recognizable destinations, creating a unique operating environment for businesses located within it.
For Pike Place Fish Market, maintaining its traditional customer experience while adapting to changing consumer expectations has become an important part of its long-term strategy.
New Ownership Continues a Longstanding Legacy
The business entered a new chapter in 2018 when four longtime Pike Place Fish Market fishmongers acquired the company from Yokoyama.
Jaison Scott, Ryan Reese, Sam Samson and Anders Miller brought more than 80 years of combined experience at the market to the ownership team. Their familiarity with the business allowed them to continue its established approach while also identifying opportunities to modernize its operations.
The Fish Market has subsequently continued to receive recognition for its longevity, community involvement and contribution to Seattle. Its leadership has emphasized that modernization should strengthen the business without compromising the characteristics that have made it successful.
That philosophy also influenced the decision to replace its previous payment infrastructure.
Moving Away From an Outdated Payment System
For more than 10 years, Pike Place Fish Market’s payment operations were connected to a banking and financing arrangement that required the company to use an older payment processing provider.
As those arrangements changed, the company saw an opportunity to reconsider its technology strategy. Rather than continuing with a system that required manual payment processes and offered limited flexibility, the team began looking for a platform that could provide a more streamlined experience.
Square emerged as a solution that could address the company’s immediate payment requirements while also providing additional capabilities that could be adopted as the business grows.
“For a small business like ours, it really comes down to relationships. That matters more to us than anything else. We love doing business with people we like doing business with, and that’s exactly what this partnership has been,” said Ryan Reese, co-owner of Pike Place Fish Market.
Handling Extreme Seasonal Traffic
The need for a dependable payment system is especially important because Pike Place Fish Market experiences major changes in customer volume throughout the year.
During the summer, Seattle experiences substantial tourism activity, and Pike Place Market can become exceptionally busy. Cruise ships frequently arrive at the nearby waterfront, bringing large numbers of visitors into the downtown area.
On particularly busy days, several cruise ships may be docked simultaneously, creating significant increases in foot traffic around the market. For Pike Place Fish Market, that means employees must be able to process transactions quickly while continuing to serve customers in the energetic environment for which the business is known.
Winter brings a different operating pattern.
During the colder months, the company relies heavily on online and telephone orders, with a large share of its business involving overnight seafood shipments to customers across the United States. The seasonal shift means the company requires technology that can support both high-volume in-person retail and its growing remote-order business.
Square Terminal Designed for a High-Traffic Environment
Pike Place Fish Market is now using Square Plus along with Square Terminal.
The Square Terminal provides an integrated payment experience that is designed to work in fast-paced retail environments. Its built-in receipt printer, compact footprint, rechargeable battery and ability to process payments offline are particularly relevant for Pike Place Fish Market’s operating environment.
The flexibility of the system is important for a business where employees are frequently working around customers and products rather than behind a conventional retail counter.
The company also sees value in Square’s broader integration ecosystem. Instead of adopting every available feature immediately, Pike Place Fish Market can add capabilities as its operational needs change.
That approach fits the company’s broader modernization strategy: introduce technology where it provides a practical benefit while continuing to preserve the business’s established identity.
Customer Data Creates New Marketing Opportunities
One of the most significant opportunities associated with the transition is customer engagement.
Pike Place Fish Market processes hundreds of transactions, serving both repeat customers from the Seattle area and visitors from around the world. Square’s customer data capabilities can help the business capture customer information through point-of-sale interactions, reducing the need for employees to manually gather contact details.
For a company that has historically depended heavily on face-to-face interactions, the ability to maintain relationships with customers after they leave the market could create new opportunities.
The business can potentially use customer information to strengthen marketing communications, encourage repeat purchases and remain connected with customers who may live far from Seattle but want to continue purchasing its seafood.
This could be particularly valuable for the company’s nationwide shipping business, where customers can order seafood remotely even when they cannot visit the physical market.
Sustainability Remains a Priority
Technology modernization is taking place alongside Pike Place Fish Market’s focus on responsible sourcing.
The company evaluates the seafood it sells based on factors including how each species is sourced and its potential environmental impact. The business considers responsible sourcing an important part of its operating philosophy.
That focus also extends to the relationships it establishes with suppliers and business partners. As the company updates its technology infrastructure, it is seeking solutions that align with its broader approach to responsible and sustainable business practices.
Supporting the Next Chapter of a Historic Business
For Pike Place Fish Market, adopting Square represents more than a change in payment processing. It is part of a broader effort to create an operating platform that can support the company through changing customer habits, seasonal demand and future growth.
The challenge is particularly significant for a business with such a recognizable identity. Pike Place Fish Market must accommodate modern consumer expectations without turning away from the traditions that have made it famous.
James Schonzeit, head of Food & Beverage at Square, said the Fish Market has been creating memorable customer experiences for generations and that updating its technology can support its continued development.
“Pike Place Fish Market has been turning a simple transaction into a memorable experience for nearly a hundred years,” Schonzeit said. He added that Square is proud to serve as the technology platform the company can grow with over time.
With Square now supporting its payments and commerce operations, Pike Place Fish Market enters its next chapter with a combination of longstanding traditions and updated technology. The fish will continue to fly across the counter, but the systems supporting those customer interactions are becoming more modern, flexible and connected.
For a Seattle institution approaching its 100th year, the transition demonstrates how a heritage business can adopt new technology while continuing to preserve the experiences that helped establish its reputation in the first place.
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