Cheers!
Do you remember the old TV show, Cheers? It had that catchy intro, “Sometimes you want to go, where everybody knows your name…” That one? The funny thing about that show, the customers on it and the people watching it all kept coming back for the same thing.
So, what was it? Ted Danson? Not exactly. It was more the emotional investment the characters made in one another. Everyone knew Sam had been a pitcher for the Red Sox, and that Diane wouldn’t have been there if she hadn’t been dumped by her fiance. That’s what truly made Cheers so special, as a bar and as a sitcom.
You see, hospitality isn’t just about good customer service. It’s that something extra, that special sauce, that connects a person to a place for good. At the Lobster Trap, we try to create an atmosphere that is as much about the people, as the food. Many of the staff, both front and back of house, have been part of the Trap Crew for years, and have spent that time forging friendships with customers that know them by name.
Though it may seem like magic, this culture wasn’t created overnight. When Amy Beard, founding partner and native of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, first opened The Lobster Trap in 2005, it was with the desire to fashion a sort of home-away-from-home here in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She grew up exploring the islands and waters of Casco Bay, alongside her friend, Captain Tom, who now sends us live Maine lobsters from his boat, The Lucky Catch. Thanks to Amy’s vision, you can close your eyes as you take a buttery bite of lobster in Asheville, and imagine you’re sitting in a shack on the coast of New England.
Though Amy has since moved back to the Northeast, The Lobster Trap is still plowing forward, with its own Captain (of sorts), Executive Chef and General Manager Mike McCarty. His dedication to fostering relationships with fisherman and local farmers is what allows the restaurant to maintain the high standards that have come to be expected by both staff and customers. By partnering with Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, Chef McCarty committed to providing sustainable seafood of the highest quality.
These commitments and relationships that formed the roots of The Lobster Trap have created an atmosphere of trust, a feeling of family among the Trap Crew, and then among our guests. Don’t be surprised on your next visit if you see a customer greet a server with a hug, or catch sight of a drive-by fist bump across the oyster bar. We believe every dish that hits the table should be an experience, not simply another meal; and it’s that sweet combination of high quality ingredients with a staff that feels like family that keeps people coming back. Come back often enough, and we may even learn your name.
**For more information on sustainable seafood please visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch website. Also, if you have ever dreamed of catching your own lobster, there has never been a better time. Check out The Lucky Catch to find out how you can join Captain Tom on your next trip north!
