Page 18 - The Peorian Vol 3 Issue 1 Winter

THERE’S SOMETHING
FISHY GOING ON HERE
At Dixon’s, it’s always been about quality
By Paul Gordon
Specialty Retail: Food
F or more than 117 years,
Dixon’s Fisheries has
weathered changing
business conditions, including
polluted waters and the influx
of fish farming, to remain one of
the relatively few fisheries still in
business in the middle part of the
country.
But there is one thing the com-
pany, now in its fourth genera-
tion of Dixon family ownership,
has never changed and has no
plans to in the future. That is its
commitment to delivering the
best quality fish and seafood to
its customers, whether it’s the top
restaurants in the region or the
family getting set to grill.
“We have become the big
fish in this small pond, without
question,” said company presi-
dent Jim Dixon. “But if we don’t
continue to work hard at giving
our customers the best quality
and best service, it won’t matter.
That’s why we are always adapt-
ing when we need to.”
Dixon’s competition in the area
is non-existent for the wholesale
fish business, which supplies
local restaurants, country clubs,
caterers and some grocers. But
there is competition on the retail
end, mostly from grocery stores
that are offering more and more
fresh fish. That’s where service
comes in, said sales manager
Jason Livingston.
“We try to give different price
points to fit any budget. Part of
our success story is that people
feel confident they can get a good
quality product, get their ques-
tions answered and go home and
have a great meal without spend-
ing too much,” he said. “That’s
how we compete on the retail
end, giving customers top-notch
service along with our quality
product.”
Dixon’s is not unlike local
meat shops, such as Alwan’s or
Pottstown Meat and Deli in Peo-
ria, where meat is the specialty
and other complementary items
are sold to go with it. But it is
the only seafood store, with two
retail locations in the area; the
flagship store on the riverfront in
East Peoria and a store on Uni-
versity Street in Peoria.
Does it also compete with the
meat stores?
“Oh, absolutely. You can’t go
to one of those stores and get
fresh lobster or scallops, but you
can get quality steaks for less
per pound. What we have to do
is make the consumer realize
the value of a good piece of fish
compared with a steak. The filet
we sell you will be 100 percent
edible, with no fat or bone,”
Dixon said.
Dixon’s, added Livingston,
will never do the volume that a
meat store will do. Meat stores
have the advantage of not need-
ing to go very far out of town for
product, whereas Dixon’s has to
go halfway around the world in
some cases to bring customers
what they want.
18 thePeorian.com
The display case of fresh fish at the Dixon’s Fisheries store in East Peoria.
On the next page store employees wait on customers, who may also enjoy other items sold there.