by Patti Connor
Staff Writer
When Sean Espenship was approached by Allen Sprouse, a commercial fisherman and life-long friend, about the two of them starting a business together, Espenship, a former tax attorney who had long harbored entrepreneurial aspirations, immediately took the bait.
In May, the two Jacksonville natives opened Great White Fish Company, a retail/wholesale market specializing in fresh domestic seafood that carries a wide variety of fresh fish, including grouper, snapper, flounder, tilapia, shark, swordfish, mahi mahi and more.
When it came time to find a site for their new venture, Sprouse and Espenship, whose past experience with a CPA firm in Miami put him in good stead for handling the business end, were guided by the time-honored adage, location, location, location. After scouting “virtually every retail location in Jacksonville,” they settled on their current site on Beach Boulevard.
“Being on Beach [Boulevard] has worked out really well for us. Not only is it one of the busiest streets in Jacksonville, but since we’re on the right side of the road, it’s convenient for people coming home from working downtown,” said Espenship, a Fletcher High School graduate.
Becoming a businessman isn’t all that different from his days as an attorney. He handles all the filings for the federal government, keeps the books and does all the paperwork.
“So in that way it’s very similar,” said Espenship. “I’m still dealing with government officials, just in a new capacity. I’m dealing with customers and I have to always remember the motto, the customer is always right. You learn to bite your tongue a lot.”
Unlike the stereotypical image of a seafood vendor, with its dingy floors and unmistakably fishy odor, the store itself appears spotless. Customers entering the cheerful, brightly-lit space with its aquatic mural are greeted by the sight of seafood, attractively displayed in glass counters with condiments, garnishes,water and soft drinks neatly lining the walls.
“As long as [the seafood] is fresh and it’s offered in a clean environment,” he said, “I don’t think you can go wrong.”
Just a few weeks into the venture, he appears to be on the right track.
“At this point we’re pretty much breaking even. Actually, it’s been even better than we anticipated,” said Espenship, a member of the Jacksonville Bar Association who has worked for Henderson Keasler Law Firm, P.A. and Cone, Yong, Stewart & Houston, P.A. “We were expecting some to have to come out of pocket, but so far it seems to be paying for itself.”
He attributes at least a part of their early success to their prices.
“Since we’re able to bypass wholesalers, we’re anywhere from 35-40 percent [less],” he said. Freshness also plays a role. Coming from 40-60 miles offshore, the fish are caught as far south as Cape Canaveral and as far north as South Carolina. The lobster is caught offshore and stockpiled so it can be sold fresh or frozen. The lobsters can range anywhere from one to six pounds.
“We have some tails back there that are two pounds. Those came off a six-pound lobster,” said Espenship.
Although Sprouse caught the fish for a while, his young family keeps him busy, so they’re now using other fishermen.
“Allen and his wife Mandy have infant twins, so he stays pretty busy. Really, the only time he goes out [on the boat] is when he wants to get away,” said Espenship with a laugh.
Currently, the business is staffed in large part by family and friends. Espenship and Sprouse operate the business during the week; on weekends they are joined by their wives.
“My poor wife, Jennifer, works all week in the State Attorney’s Office. [where she’s a prosecutor in the sex crimes division] And then she comes in here and works all weekend,” he said. “She’s usually in the office from 7 in the morning to 7 at night. When she has trials, it’s seven days a week and I don’t see her at all. It’s nice for us on weekends because we are all there. Allen and Mandy bring in the kids and we socialize. It’s fun for us because we don’t see much of each other during the week.”
Eventually, along with hiring a full-time staff, they plan to expand, most likely into Ponte Vedra Beach.