Skipper's, Inc.

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Skipper's Seafood 'N Chowder House



Fate	Liquidation


Successor	16 locations for sale.
Founded	1969
Defunct	June 30, 2007
Location	SeaTac, Washington
Industry	Fast food
Products	Seafood entrees
Former Parent	Skipper's, Inc.

"Skippers" redirect here. For other uses, see Skipper

Skipper's, Inc. was the parent company of a Washington state-based seafood chain which did business as Skipper's Seafood 'N Chowder House from 1969 to 2007.

Skipper's was founded by Herb Rosen in Bellevue, Washington, in 1969, at which time Skipper's began serving fried fish, shrimp, and clams as well as chowders. The corporate headquarters was eventually moved to Edmonds where it stayed for many years until moving to SeaTac shortly before its 2007 demise.

Skippers Seafood 'n Chowder House initially experienced rapid growth as new restaurants were opened in several western states and Canada (British Columbia). In 1989, Kansas-based National Pizza Company purchased Skipper's, Inc. and operated it until 1995. In 1995, Skippers was purchased by Meridian Capital and from 1995 thru 2002 the Skippers management team introduced a line of grilled entrees, including grilled salmon, halibut, and chicken.

In late 2002, Skipper's was purchased by a group of Northwest investors. Under new ownership, the Skipper's team began investing in updating the looks of its restaurants and training of employees. New logos were introduced in the spring of 2003, and again in 2007^[1]. As of 2007 Skipper's operated stores in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah and Washington^[2].

On December 12, 2006 Skipper's Inc. filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in U.S. Court in Seattle in an organizational restructuring. The restructuring failed, and Skipper's was liquidated on June 29, 2007. Of the 58 stores remaining after Skipper's initially filed for bankruptcy, 28 will be sold to various individuals and corporate interests. The majority of the locations not sold closed permanently on June 30, 2007, although 16 stores - all in Washington - remain open while buyers are sought. When the sales of individual units and closures are finalized, Skipper's Inc. will cease to exist as a corporation^[3].

As of January 2008 there was at least one location still operating in The Dalles, OR. Their menu was posted in a local news advertisement. In the Portland, OR area, the SE 82nd avenue location has since reopened. The Pocatello, ID location has operated continuously since the mid-1980s and is still operating as of May 2008. The manager states that the store is owned by a man in Washington state who owns "about a dozen other stores" that area also operating. While the listed telephone number is disconnected, the store has recently taken a new telephone number.

As of May 2008, there was a Skippers still operating in Klamath Falls, OR. and one in Grants Pass, OR.