BOSTON, MASS. – (June 22, 2023) -​​ Legal Sea Foods, the renowned New England-based dining brand is making moves as its business continues to grow following its acquisition by PPX Hospitality Brands. The company acquired Legal Sea Foods in 2020 as it faced challenges following the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the last 24 months, PPX has rebuilt and reinvigorated the restaurant business, invested in its people, and expanded its brand reach. Growth includes opening new locations in and beyond New England, renovating and refreshing existing restaurants, investing in the brand’s To-Go platform, and introducing a long overdue dining rewards program for loyal guests. Most recently, the company relaunched Legal’s e-commerce enterprise. The online store at shop.legalseafoods.com, now fully owned by PPX, is seeing rapid growth and opportunities for new markets.

All this expansion has placed strain on One Seafood Way, Legal’s former headquarters located in the Raymond Flynn Marine Industrial Park (RLFMP), now occupied by PPX. The building, nearly 20 years old, had outdated processing equipment and an inefficient interior office layout that did not meet PPX’s growing multi-brand requirements. PPX needed a new commissary and e-commerce facility with custom-designed fulfillment equipment but also desired continued proximity to the Seaport and Boston’s renowned fishing industry.

Meanwhile, Stavis Seafoods, a leading Boston seafood brand established in 1929, was seeking a large, contiguous space in the RFLMP, part of which is controlled by Massport, to consolidate its growing operations but struggled to find a suitable location big enough. Stavis also had excess support space on Boston’s Fish Pier, which is owned by Massport.

Recognizing the opportunity for a beneficial arrangement, Legal and Stavis decided to work together, with the support of their shared landlord Massport to come up with a solution. This mutually advantageous deal allows Legal Sea Foods and PPX to relocate its corporate office and support teams to the Fish Pier, while Stavis takes occupancy of One Seafood Way allowing them to retrofit the facility with state-of-the-art equipment in 75,000 square feet on two floors, thus securing their long-term future in the Seaport.

PPX will continue operating its commissary and e-commerce business in One Seafood Way in the short term until its new facility is constructed. This cutting-edge facility will house a central commissary, e-commerce fulfillment center, test kitchen, and quality control functions for all its brands – Legal Sea Foods, Smith & Wollensky and Strega Italiano. The establishment of this new facility demonstrates PPX’s commitment to delivering exceptional products and ensuring the highest standards of quality and freshness.

For more information, visit LegalSeaFoods.com and PPXHospitalityBrands.com.

About Legal Sea Foods
Seventy years ago, Legal Sea Foods opened as a fish market in Cambridge, MA and has since cast a wider net – now operating 25 restaurants along the east coast as well as its own Quality Control Center on Boston Harbor. Legal Sea Foods’ iconic tagline, “If it isn’t fresh, it isn’t Legal!” speaks to its legendary fanaticism for seafood quality and safety. The restaurants serve over 40 varieties of fresh fish and shellfish throughout the year; the menu highlights quintessential New England fare, including its famous New England Clam Chowder that has been served at nearly every Presidential Inauguration since 1981. To learn more, visit https://www.legalseafoods.com/.

About PPX Hospitality Brands
PPX Hospitality Brands is a Boston-based hospitality group that includes The Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group, The Strega Group and Legal Sea Foods Restaurant Group. To learn more, visit https://www.ppxhospitalitybrands.com/.