For the nine years Jacqui Curtiss enjoyed having lunch at The Dock Bar and Eatery in Port Orchard, her favorite meal was the salmon Cobb salad with blue cheese crumbles.
“The salmon was done perfectly, and I’m from Alaska so I know how salmon should be,” she said.
Curtiss, former office manager of the John L. Scott in town, was heartbroken when she learned that The Dock is closing at the end of August. “When I walk by there, I will be sad. I’m going to miss the food and quality of the people who worked there,” she said.
For many, The Dock has been an institution downtown at 715 Bay St., as it was more than just a spot to grab a bite to eat. “The place has always been a gathering place for our community,” said Steve Sego, who along with his wife Coreen Haydock owned the eatery since 2015.
“We hosted scores of events whether they be nonprofit events like Wine for Wags, holiday events like Santa’s visit or wedding receptions. Our daughter got married in the market,” Sego said.
In announcing the closure on Facebook, Sego said, “The current economy is very hard on small businesses, especially restaurants – including ours. We can no longer afford to sustain The Dock.”
Haydock pointed out the downturn of the business began years ago. “Honestly, COVID was the beginning of the end, financially. We just never recovered from COVID and the cost of goods and labor,” she said.
Nearby construction also made it tough for customers to drop in. “Last summer they replaced a red light with a roundabout (at Bethel Avenue and Bay Street). During construction, cars were lined up forty deep. People avoided downtown. That diminished a lot of sales for us and other downtown businesses,” Sego said.
Timing of the traffic revision came during summer, the restaurant’s peak season.
Another issue was that fewer people went to restaurants. “The problem is we don’t have any families eating out anymore. Families just can’t afford to do that anymore,” he said, estimating the trend led to a drop in up to 30% of business.
The restaurant has been a family affair. In recent years, Alex Sego fixed everything from the ice machine to updating the menu. Joshua Johnson and his wife, Sarah, handled graphic design work and promotions. Andrew Sego put in time as a cook. And granddaughter Kenzie Buckler bused tables.
The Dock’s proprietors are mainstays of the city. Haydock has been South Kitsap Helpline’s director, ran the Chamber of Commerce and was a president of the Bay Street Association. Sego was instrumental in the efforts by two nonprofit groups to refurbish Bremerton’s Roxy Theatre and Port Orchard’s Polaris Theater. The couple was also involved in the fast-ferry initiative and lobbied Kitsap County to fund the Port Orchard Community Event Center.
While eatery is closing, its owners will continue to be involved in town. “We are 100 percent on board and committed to Port Orchard downtown,” Sego said. The couple owns properties around downtown, including the Polaris Theater, a building across from Kitsap Bank and a retail/office complex near the Bay Street roundabout. “We still hope to see a vibrant downtown and be a part of that,” Haydock said.
