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Gulf Oil Disaster Strengthens Partnership with Florida''s Oldest Restaurant
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| 09/08/2011 |
Partnership Began the Day Before the Gulf Oil Spill
YBOR CITY, Fla., September 8, 2011 – Richard Gonzmart, fourth generation family member of Florida’s oldest restaurant – The Columbia in Tampa’s historic Ybor City – announces a partnership with Louisiana Shrimp Processing & Packing, L.L.C. in Golden Meadow, Louisiana, producers of Poor Pierre’s shrimp. The partnership began in April 2010, the day before the Gulf Oil Spill, with a verbal agreement.
When the Gulf Oil Spill happened, Gonzmart was quick to tell Gerard Thomassie, second generation family member and owner of Louisiana Shrimp Processing & Packing, L.L.C that he would honor the verbal agreement they had made, reassuring Thomassie that he believed in their business, and its ability to source quality shrimp for the Columbia’s needs.
“The Columbia supports family-owned American businesses. We believe the finest tasting shrimp in the world are domestic wild-caught shrimp from the sustainable and pristine natural habitat waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The Gonzmart family is proud to announce our partnership with Gerard Thomassie''s family-owned Louisiana Shrimp Processing & Packing, L. L. C. by using their Poor Pierre’s shrimp in our century-old family recipes,” Gonzmart said.
Gonzmart recently visited Louisiana Shrimp Processing & Packing, L.L.C. in Golden Meadow, Louisiana. He inspected the boats, plant and their shrimp with Thomassie. The companies then formalized their partnership with a signed agreement.
“We are very, very loyal people,” said Gonzmart. “Like everyone we do business with, we have had our ups and downs. When one of our partners goes through a bad time, we continue to support them, just as we know they will support us,” Gonzmart said.
The Columbia has a long tradition of loyal partnership and of supporting family-owned businesses, including:
• Tampa’s Sunny Florida Dairy, owned by the Guagliardo family since its founding – 100 years of partnership
• Tampa’s La Segunda Central Bakery owned by founding family, the More’s- 95 years of partnership
• Tampa’s Fowler White Boggs - 50 years of doing business together, succession & estate planning along with executing of estates and other areas of representation
• Tampa’s Peninsular Paper – 26 years of partnership and a lifetime of friendship and schooling with Richard Clarke and family
• Tampa’s Naviera Coffee Mills- owned by founding family, the Fernández’ – 25 years of partnership
• Spain’s Torres Winery - 38 years and three generations of partnership with the Torres family. The Columbia is Torres’ largest consumer of wines in North America.
Gerard Thomassie, second generation family member and owner of Louisiana Shrimp Processing & Packing, L. L. C. is proudly continuing in the family tradition his father started nearly 40 years ago. His company has 55 employees, and since the Gulf Oil Spill, he has kept all of their core employees and is increasing staff as production levels increase.
"Everyone at our company, from management to dockhand, are all excited and honored to be a partner in the Columbia''s ongoing commitment of providing quality products to their patrons. I look forward to assisting Richard Gonzmart, his family and the Columbia’s employees in their quest to continue to provide their patrons with a most memorable experience, signified by an eager return," said Thomassie.
The Thomassie family started in the shrimp business in Louisiana as vessel owners and operators in the early 1970s and in 1985 opened their first dockside unloading and grading facility with ice plant and fuel dock to service the fishing boats. That company was named Thoma-Sea Fisheries, Inc.
In 1990, Louisiana Shrimp & Packing, Inc. opened with the purchase of a previous full service processing facility which had been repossessed in the local area.
In 2011, the name was changed to Louisiana Shrimp Processing & Packing, L.L.C. upon the retirement of his father, Robert Joseph Thomassie, and his mother, Geraldine Dupre Thomassie.
The Columbia Restaurant in Tampa’s Historic Ybor City was founded in 1905 and is Florida’s oldest restaurant. Additional locations include St. Armands Circle in Sarasota, the Historic District in St. Augustine, The Pier in Downtown St. Petersburg, Sand Key on Clearwater Beach, Central Florida''s town of Celebration, the Columbia Café on the Riverwalk in Tampa and the Columbia Restaurant Café at Tampa International Airport. All Columbia locations are owned and operated by 4th and 5th generation members of the founding family; except for Columbia Restaurant Cafe at Tampa International Airport which is operated in partnership with HMSHost. Please see www.columbiarestaurant.com for more information.
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