Iconic Massachusetts restaurant chain Legal Sea Foods sold

Iconic Massachusetts restaurant chain Legal Sea Foods sold

Updated: 6:40 PM EST Dec 22, 2020

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MASSACHUSETTS-BASED LEGAL SEA FOODS RESTAURANT CHAIN HAS BEEN SOLD. ADD: — ED: AND NEW AT 6:00 WE’RE , HEARING FROM ROGER BERKOWITZ, WHOSE FAMILY OPENED THE FIRST LEGALS MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS AGO. NEWSCENTER 5’S SHAUN CHAIYABHAT SPOKE WITH HIM AND JOINS US LIVE. SHAUN: THE LEGAL SEA FOODS BRAND WILL STAY. BUT IT’S LONGTIME FAMILY OWNER IS CHANGING COURSE. >> BIT OF MIXED EMOTIONS, BITTERSWEET, IF YOU WILL. SHAUN: ROGER BERKOWITZ IS ALMOST AS ICONIC AS HIS FAMILY-OWNED RESTAURANT LEGAL SEAFOODS. FROM THE ADS THAT SOMETIMES GOT HIM IN TROUBLE, TO THE FAMILY’S CLAM CHOWDER IT’S BEEN A GOOD , RUN UNTIL COVID. ,>> THE PANDEMIC THREW US A CURVEBALL. NO ONE ANTICIPATED THIS. THIS REALLY WAS SHOCKING TO MOST PEOPLE. SO WE HAVE TO, SORT OF FIGURE , OUT NEW MODELS. SHAUN: THE DECISION TO SELL STARTED IN AUGUST, AFTER MONTHS OF SHUTDOWNS. PPX FROM MEDFORD WILL TAKE OVER AND PLANS TO EXPAND LEGAL SEAFOODS EVEN MORE. THE COMPANY ALREADY RUNS HIGH-END RESTAURANTS SMITH AND WOLLENSKY AND STREGA. IS ANYTHING GOING TO CHANGE? >> WELL HOPEFULLY NOT. ,YOU KNOW A LOT OF OUR KEY , PEOPLE ARE GOING TO STAY ON WITH THE NEW COMPANY. SHAUN: FROM THEIR CAMBRIDGE GROCERY STORE IN THE EARLY 1900S, TO A FISH MARKET, TO THEIR 25 RESTAURANTS, THE FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS HAS PIVOTED WITH THE TIMES. HIS NEXT PIVOT? E-COMMERCE. HE PLANS TO FOCUS ON SELLING READY-MADE, FLASH-FROZEN MEALS DIRECT TO HOMES. SAYING THE PANDEMIC MAY FOREVER CHANGE HOW WE EAT OUT. >> THIS IS A WAY OF GETTING RESTAURANT-QUALITY PRODUCT SHIPPED DIRECTLY TO YOU AT YOUR CONVENIENCE. SO I THINK ITS A PATHWAY TO THE FUTURE, WHERE MAYBE FOOD COMSUMPTION IS GOING

Iconic Massachusetts restaurant chain Legal Sea Foods sold

Updated: 6:40 PM EST Dec 22, 2020

Massachusetts-based Legal Sea Foods, one of the country’s oldest seafood restaurant chains, has been sold.Roger Berkowitz, president and CEO of Legal Sea Foods, announced Tuesday the sale of its restaurants to PPX Hospitality Brands, a Boston-based hospitality group. PPX will own and operate all restaurant concepts under the Legal Sea Foods banner, including airport locations. Berkowitz, whose family opened the chain in 1968, will retain exclusive ownership rights of the Legal Sea Foods name in channels outside of restaurant operations such as e-commerce and retail. Active Legal Sea Foods employees have been invited to remain as part of the team. When fully operational, PPX hopes to employ 3,000 people across all three companies, the company said.

BOSTON —

Massachusetts-based Legal Sea Foods, one of the country’s oldest seafood restaurant chains, has been sold.

Roger Berkowitz, president and CEO of Legal Sea Foods, announced Tuesday the sale of its restaurants to PPX Hospitality Brands, a Boston-based hospitality group.

PPX will own and operate all restaurant concepts under the Legal Sea Foods banner, including airport locations.

Berkowitz, whose family opened the chain in 1968, will retain exclusive ownership rights of the Legal Sea Foods name in channels outside of restaurant operations such as e-commerce and retail.

Active Legal Sea Foods employees have been invited to remain as part of the team. When fully operational, PPX hopes to employ 3,000 people across all three companies, the company said.