Pike Place Fish Market

Seattle's Pike Place Fish Market
Photo: B. Perry

N 47 36.519   W 122 20.451

Pike Place Market has occupied a stretch of waterfront just north of downtown Seattle for over one hundred years.  This historic farmers market is a quaint collection of stalls selling produce, fish, flowers, crafts, antiques, and touristy kitsch.  It overlooks Elliot Bay and offers spectacular views from nearby Victor Steinbrueck Park.  Tourists flock the market, although they don’t come to buy flowers or coffee mugs.  They come to see the fish fly at Pike Place Fish Market.

Pike Place Fish Market is an open-air fish market located on a busy corner just inside the main entrance to Pike Place Market.  Hundreds of pounds of fish lay on the icy slopes of the display for the perusal of the customers.  When a customer buys a fish, an orange overall-clan fishmonger throws the fish over the counter a good ten feet to another fishmonger who catches it (hopefully) and wraps it up.  Tossing fish back and forth and bantering with the crowd has made the Pike Place Fish Market one of Seattle’s must-see sights.

The fish market, established in 1930, was little known outside of Seattle for most of its history.  In 1986, on the verge of bankruptcy, a business consultant suggested they set a goal to make their market world famous.  Traditionally, fishmongers have always tossed fish.  The market staff thought they could have some fun and entertain their customers by tossing fish themselves.  Soon, a crowd was forming to watch the antics of the fishmongers.  In 1990, a national news crew filmed the market and their notoriety spread. More TV appearances followed.  Soon, tourist buses were unloading their passengers to watch and business boomed, not just for the “World Famous” Pike Place Fish Market, but for all the vendors of Pike Place Market.  I visited the market in 2005 and had a great time watching the flying fish and talking with the fishmongers and the crowd.  A good time was had by all.

But this story has an odd twist (they often do, I find).  In 1998, John Christensen, a motivational speaker from Burnsville, Minnesota, visited the market and was struck by the great attitude of the employees.  He returned  to interview the market’s employees and film their work.  For three days, Christensen’s camera’s captured an energetic, fun-loving crew happily tossing fish and joking with the crowd.  He then returned to Minnesota and wrote “FISH! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results.” This book and its associated videotapes and paraphernalia have become a popular business program for increasing morale and productivity.  The book has been translated into 34 languages.  The FISH! DVD Package costs $920!  Hundreds of companies have adopted the FISH! Philosophy and throw a stuffed fish across conference rooms to acknowledge employees’ good attitudes. 

Meantime, back in Seattle, the boys at Pike Place Fish Market were less than pleased.  A YouTube video entitled “Pike Place hates Fish! Philosophy” shows a market employee lambasting Christensen’s program as not what they are actually about.  On the video, he produces copies of books written by actual Pike Place Fish Market employees, “Catch: A Fishmonger’s Guide to Greatness”, and by owner John Yokoyama, “When Fish Fly: Lessons for Creating a Vital and Energized Workplace -  From the World Famous Pike Place Fish Market.” While these books can be purchased on their website, I imagine it’s a little late to supplant the Fish! Philosophy.

Crother, Cyndi and the crew of Pike Place Fish, Catch: A Fishmonger's Guide to Greatness. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2005.

Yokoyama, John and Joseph Michelli, When Fish Fly: Lessons for Creating a Vital and Energized Workplace — From the Word Famous Pike Place Fish Market. New York: Hyperion, 2004.

Question of the Day: What's the name of the motivational stuffed fish in the FISH! Philosophy?