THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 4, 1996 TAG: 9608310179
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: COVER STORY
SOURCE: BY PAM STARR, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 169 lines
FOR THREE YEARS, Susan Davis, 29, worked every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at Murphy Brothers Seafood, filleting fish, making displays and waiting on customers.
She was able to eke out a living for herself and her baby Victoria, who was born shortly after Davis began working at the small seafood market.
Davis loved working for the owners, Ruth and Clifton Murphy, who treated her like their daughter and taught her the retail seafood business.
But as jobs go, this one went nowhere and Davis knew it.
So when the Murphys decided to retire earlier this year, after 25 successful years, Davis begged them to sell to her. She had always wanted her own business and felt that this out-of-the-way seafood market in London Bridge Plaza was made for her.
Luckily, so did the Murphys.
``We had other people who wanted the business but we felt like Susan was the only person who would keep our quality,'' said Ruth Murphy. ``We knew she wouldn't go to something cheap to make more money.
``She's the only person that I could go back and buy fish from,'' she added. ``She does some things differently but that's OK. Our customers have said we did the right thing.''
Davis did face some obstacles, however. She was a single mother and had no money or resources. She had no experience in owning or running a business. No bank would touch her until her father, Jim Davis, stepped in as guarantor. Even then she was turned down. Desperate, Davis finally called another branch of a bank that had refused her earlier.
She must have talked to the right person at the right time, because her loan was approved that same day. On April 1, Davis, who loves seafood, especially fried flounder, became the proud owner of Murphy Brothers Seafood. For the next several weeks she immersed herself in the business 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
So did her family. Mom Dolores helped with the cleaning and organizing. Dad doubles as the handyman, so far fixing a broken refrigerator motor and the air conditioning. Brother Eric, 19, is Davis' only employee. Even little Victoria, or Tori, who is nearly 3, pitches in to answer the phone when it's really busy. But not too often, ever since she told a caller they had no crabs when bushels of them sat in the refrigerator.
``As a single mom it's still a struggle,'' conceded Davis. ``Sometimes it's hard but every day is different. Being able to work with my family, and seeing the difference we can make, is really special. It brings us closer together as a family.''
Don't drive down Virginia Beach Boulevard in search of Murphy Brothers Seafood. You won't find it. Although the address is 2324C Virginia Beach Blvd., the market is in London Bridge Plaza.
Even then, it's hard to spot the nondescript white cinder block building, which is tucked away in the far corner of the shopping center across from Western Auto. Davis contends that the location is a minus, but has ordered two neon signs for the overhang and side of the building to help bring in new customers.
In the meantime, she services the loyal ones. Last Friday, customers streamed in and out of the one-story market steadily since it opened at 11 a.m. Davis, her long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail wearing a smudged apron, barely had a chance to sit down before answering the phone.
``Murphy's Seafood,'' she said in a sing-song voice. The name is shortened for brevity's sake when taking phone orders or when a customer pays by check. ``Our crabs are $40 a bushel, $10 for steaming. OK. You're welcome, hon. Bye.''
She shook her head and smiled. Davis calls everyone ``hon,'' whether she knows them or not.
``Bringing in a steamer was a big thing,'' said Davis, her clear brown eyes animated in her flushed face. ``We got it from Lynnhaven Fish House and it has tripled our business in crabs.
``We're looking into buying a deep fryer next, to fry crabs,'' she continued. ``A lot of people have asked if we do that.''
Davis was born in Spain and has lived in Virginia Beach since she was 5, graduating from Cox High School in 1985. At 15, she began working at Westminster-Canterbury as a utility room manager and stayed for 10 years. Then she got pregnant and quit to take on the part-time job at Murphy Brothers Seafood. Now that she owns the place, Tori spends her days with mom. A back office was transformed into a playroom but Tori, a spirited child with wavy dark hair and olive green eyes, would rather follow mom around.
``Sometimes Tori gets bored, but I've never had to leave her,'' Davis said. ``She helps me keep my priorities straight. I'm just so glad she can be here with me - now is a good time while she's smaller.'' Tori's dad (and Davis' boyfriend), Michael Gillis, takes the little girl on Davis' only day off - Mondays.
Grandfather Jim Davis also helps take care of Tori when he comes in every afternoon. The retired Navy storekeeper is the maintenance supervisor at Budget Lodge and performs all the necessary repair work at the market. He said that he always knew his daughter would be able to run her own business.
``My wife is still not sure if we made a mistake or not,'' said Jim Davis with a laugh. ``But I told her if you're ever going to get ahead you have to be willing to take a chance. You never get anywhere working for someone else.
``I'm really proud of both of them,'' he added, referring to son Eric, too. ``In this type of business the only way to survive is with family. It's good that Eric works with her.''
It's too early to tell whether Davis will succeed in the business, but the odds are overwhelmingly stacked against her. According to statistics from the Virginia Small Business Administration, more than 50 percent of Americans who start their own business fail within the first two years and 90 percent fail within five years.
Davis bought an existing business, which gives her a better chance. And she also took advantage of a free small business counseling service offered by the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) before approaching banks for a loan. SCORE is a nonprofit organization partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration and made up of volunteers who counsel clients at One Columbus Center on Thursday mornings.
Those two visits, said Davis, helped her to prepare a business plan, which ultimately led to a loan. Bill Garry, a SCORE counselor since 1985, was impressed with Davis's determination and enthusiasm for the business, especially since Davis had a number of strikes working against her.
``The odds are very difficult for those without a track record of success,'' said Garry. ``She has lots of competition - even supermarkets sell fish. And she's hidden. The business won't get the casual person who's passing by.''
On the plus side was Davis's knowledge of the business, her personality and her dedication to the customers, he said. Murphy Brothers Seafood was a typical ``mom and pop'' place.
``I told her she needs to concentrate on the clients she has now and make sure she does a good job for them,'' Garry said. He has visited Davis a couple of times at the market and likes the way she's handling the business. ``I think she's going to be successful. It's ideal for a single mother to have her own business and independence.''
Satisfying existing customers has been the key to Davis's success thus far. She learns what the customers like, but if she doesn't have something she'll send them to another fish market. Other markets do the same for her, she said.
``My number one priority is to take care of the customer, not to make a sale,'' said Davis. ``I don't want to sell 50 pounds of bad catfish. I'd rather sell 10 pounds of quality catfish. I want to be here another 25 years.''
Ruth Murphy hopes Davis will be, too. But she would also like to see Davis move out of that location to a more ``accessible'' one.
``People who know seafood wouldn't buy anywhere but at a seafood market,'' said Murphy, who returns twice a week to buy fish. ``And every time I see our customers they tell me how good they're (the Davises) doing.''
So Davis defies the odds every day as she fillets fish, steams crabs, takes orders, counts change, cleans counters, works with suppliers and does the books - all while watching a nonstop toddler. .
``I've always enjoyed hard work and I like to see the results,'' said Davis. ``You have to like what you do or it's not going to work. I'm thankful for everything I've got.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff color cover photos by CHARLIE MEADS
Susan Davis has her plate full-of butter fish and other things-these
days as a single mother and owner of Murphy Bros. Seafood in London
Bridge Plaza Shopping Center.
Black and white photos by Charlie Meads
Murphy Bros. Seafood continues to try offer the same quality goods
and services - such as a large selection of sauces, dips and batters
- as the previous owners.
When things get really busy, even 2-year-old Tori pitches in to help
her single mother, Susan Davis, run the seafood market. ``She helps
me keep my priorities straight,'' says Susan.
Brother Eric, 19, here placing a tray of shrimp in the cooler case,
is Susan's only employee.
In addition to being guarantor of the loan, Jim Davis, Susan's
father, is the business's fix-it man. ``In this type of business the
only way to survive is with family,'' he says.
Davis loved working for previous owners, Ruth and Clifton Murphy,
who treated her like their daughter and taught her the retail
seafood business. Her dedicated work and love for seafood -
especially fried flounder - convinced them to sell her the business. by CNB