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Eater National did a little (long) Q&A with Renee Erickson and her business partner Jeremy Price. The duo talk shop about Walrus and the Carpenter, Whale Wins, and Narwhal. Oh, and then there's that whole seasonal cookbook thing. Renee is writing one. It doesn't have a name yet, but she says it's due out next year. Most exciting, perhaps, is intel on their new project, Barnacle, which looks to be opening real soon. Like next week soon.
A few other gems from the interview:
As to how they're adapting to Walrus blowing up:
RE: We still are. It's not done. Every year it's busier, so every year we make changes. Right now we're adjusting what the manager's duties are to make it less stressful. Adjusting everything down to how we clean, how often we clean, who cleans. As we grow, we take tasks away from people and create a new position because I think we're just getting smarter, too. There was some point we both thought it would level out and it hasn't yet.
As to how Barnacle is going:
RE: Just construction and unpacking and organizing and moving in.
JP: Move-in time, totally. We've got one or two inspections to get through and loose end-y sort of things to wrap up.
RE: It's really pretty. I'm really excited.
JP: As it's evolved more and more, I think it's taking on its own character and it's going to be a pretty cool place in its own right, not just as a waiting area for Walrus. I think the spillover will happen both ways. I think it's just as likely that people will be coming to Barnacle and waiting at Walrus as people coming to Walrus and waiting at Barnacle. It's cool. We're excited.
RE: We never know until it happens and then it evolves.
As to Barnacle opening next week:
JP: Yeah. We might be using like handwritten checks and cash only. But I think we'll probably be able to start doing some invite-only events to stretch our legs in the space.
Check out the interview in its entirety over at the Mother Ship.
· Renee Erickson & Jeremy Price on Expansion and a New Cookbook [-EN-]
· All Barnacle Coverage [~ESEA~]
· Barnacle [Facebook - Official Site Coming Soon]