For Scott Wills and Rick Allison, the owners of The Dock at Lansdowne, the most important thing about owning a restaurant is making their guests comfortable from the moment they walk in.
"We’re out front talking to people," Allison said. "We’re open. It’s important that people feel comfortable here."
"It’s kind of nice to get to know someone when they come in here to eat," Wills said.
After five months in business, Wills and Allison, veterans of the restaurant industry, have found success with The Dock at Lansdowne through their philosophy of making the dining experience personal again.
Whether it is the recommendations Allison might make to guests, the monthly notices they send out to let people know what will be happening at the restaurant or the brief biographies they send out about members of their staff, the owners hope to give their customers the all-around experience.
"We’re in a people business, so you’ve got to do it," Wills said.
"We also use team service, with multiple people helping each table," Allison said. "People say our staff is nice and genuine, not indifferent to them."
THE DOCK OF LANSDOWNE is the result of years of hard work by Wills and Allison. For five years the men worked together at Mike’s American Grill in Springfield, where Allison was the executive chef.
"This is the first time we’ve been out on our own," he said.
Both men said it was the Great American Restaurants, which owns Mike’s American Grill, which gave them the foundation to move out on their own.
"You surround yourself with the best company to learn from," Allison said.
"The system and the structure of their restaurants were very helpful," Wills said. "They do a high volume, which prepared us."
The Dock at Lansdowne has given the pair the opportunity to spread their wings.
"It can be difficult to work in those four walls and it can be hard to be expressive," he said. "That freedom is pretty invigorating."
Allison, a Purcellville resident, said he had his eye on the Lansdowne area for a restaurant for two years because of its location.
"It’s right on Route 7 between Sterling and Ashburn, two big communities," Wills said. "It’s a great location."
THE DECISION TO open a seafood restaurant came naturally, Allison, who worked in Annapolis, Md., for three years, said.
"There’s no seafood in Loudoun County," he said. "We did it just because there wasn’t one."
The duo is looking at a location for a second restaurant and hope to eventually have 10 restaurants in the chain.
The menu of The Dock at Lansdowne is made from the freshest available seafood, Allison said, and is purchased from around the world.
"The key for us buying is we always buy based on season," Allison said. "We get things from the Gulf of Mexico, our salmon out of Canada and halibut out of Alaska. We take advantage of the season while we can."
From the macadamia mahi mahi to the seared ahi tuna with a seaweed salad, Allison said he enjoys experimenting with new flavors and combinations.
"There are always going to be some things people won’t see anywhere else," he said.
BOTH WILLS AND Allison credit the success of the restaurant to the word of mouth their philosophy of dining generates and the specialty nights and events they have planned to reach out to the community.
Wills and Allison have held wine nights, where food is paired with different wines for tasting, and theme nights, such as the recent luau night where there was hula contest, drawings for gift cards and the food was Caribbean themed.
"Our theme nights have created a huge energy," Wills said. "It’s been huge."
The restaurant’s party room has also been host to several large events, including meet and greets for local homeowner’s associations.
"All of those communities have been great guests," Allison said. "And they have helped get the word out. And that’s helped us be successful."