Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Iapicca.
Mike, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In 2004, I started working at Boston Harbor Cruises as a deck hand working seasonally at the age of 18. I had just graduated high school and at the time, I worked on the Independence and the Frederick L. Nolan. I also continued to work as a deck hand throughout college. After a while I bartended on the vessels which led to me bartending at The Landing. I loved working outdoors all summer at this bar on Long Wharf.
In 2008, I graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where I studied criminal justice. I envisioned myself going on to law school and eventually landing a job in the legal system. When I graduated from college, Boston Harbor Cruises offered me the assistant operations manager’s position at The Landing. I took the job to gain managerial skills and 10 years later I am still here and the rest is history. In 2010 I took on the role as the assistant food and beverage manager and eventually I was promoted to my current role as the Director of Food & Beverage for Boston Harbor Cruises. I’ve now been in my role for five years and have been with Boston Harbor Cruises full-time for 14 seasons. When I started at BHC 14 years ago, I never thought I’d be a director. I have learned so much during this time. I love my job and the family I work for. I am so proud to work with Boston Harbor Cruises and manage The Landing and have learned so much.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
This last spring was particularly challenging with four Nor’easters hitting The Landing hard. Water levels were up four feet, which flooded the bar and caused us to have to do a complete renovation. Except for the structure, The Landing is basically a new bar with all new equipment. Of course, it was still snowing in March, so we truly had a month to get carpenters and electricians out to help install new floors, new electric, equipment, lights and more for The Landing’s grand opening in May. But with such a great team, we were able to accomplish the renovation with hard work!
Luckily for me, I’m also a licensed general contractor in the state of Massachusetts. So, I’m well-versed in renovation, building timelines and scheduling contractors. We were able to get everything renovated from top to bottom in a month’s time, and on May 5th (Cinco de Mayo), we had a record-breaking day for sales at The Landing! So, although it’s hard, grueling work at times, it’s very rewarding too.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the The Landing on Long Wharf story. Tell us more about the business.
The Landing on Long Wharf is the only completely outdoor bar in Boston and is waterfront. We recently opened a second location in Salem, MA. I am the Director of Food and Beverage for both The Landing bars. The Landing is known for serving signature fish bowl drinks and buckets of beer. When I started working for BHC, The Landing was less than half of what it is today. About five years ago we completely rebuilt The Landing to more than double the size. We added outdoor televisions and lots of tables and chairs. I’m in charge of everything that goes on at The Landing and I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty, and neither is my team. I really help to create the unique atmosphere of The Landing – from music, gas fire pits, and the drink specials and more, I make sure it meets and exceeds the expectations of our customers. On any given day I may have to clean the bathroom, take out the trash or haul cases of beer to The Landing, while also managing the staff. A fun fact: once The Landing is open we typically go through a few thousand cases of beer during the weekend due the high demand for beer buckets!
What are you most proud of as a company?
I’ve been with Boston Harbor Cruises for 14 years and am proud of the growth I’ve seen over the years in the number of staff, vessels and the breadth of cruises we offer. I’m also extremely proud of how BHC supports the community. Each year, Boston Harbor Cruises hires many high school and college students for the summer and gives them a chance at a first job and a sense of responsibility and maturity. I started out at a young age and am so proud of Boston Harbor Cruises for continuing to do this.
What sets you and your company apart from others?
I’d say that what truly sets Boston Harbor Cruises apart from others is the way we keep the facilities and vessels. We are constantly installing new equipment, galleys and bars and will always renovate when the time comes so we provide the best experience for cruise and bar goers. Boston Harbor Cruises makes it a priority to keep everything up and running smoothly, and I work hard to maintain this standard of excellence at The Landing.
What quality and characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I would say not being afraid of hard work and always being a team player. Consistent hard work day-to-day and week-to-week has been crucial in The Landing’s success, and I always try to put the best effort in that I can. I truly believe as a manager that this hard work has a “trickle-down effect” – as in, if my team sees me working hard and getting my hands dirty, whether it’s cleaning the bathroom or taking out the trash, then they will follow suit and work hard and roll up their sleeves and do whatever is necessary as well. I’m proud of how hard my team works and how well we work together to get whatever is necessary done. One example is the renovation of The Landing from top to bottom in a month and opening on time!
Pricing:
- Mixed drinks and specialty cocktails range from $7.75 -$10
- Beer is $5.25 or $6.25 depending on type comes either 12 oz bottle or 16oz for draft
- Beer buckets include 6 for $31.25 or $26.25
- Fishbowls range single serving bowl (20oz) all the way up to a 10 people (1.2gallons), with 5 different sizes in total. Price ranges from $10.25-$79 for the 10 person bowl
Contact Info:
- Address: One Long Wharf Boston, MA 02110
- Website: http://www.bostonharborcruises.com/
- Phone: 617-227-4321 or 1-877-SEE-WHALE (733-9425)
- Email: contact@bostonharborcruises.com
- Instagram: @the_landing_bar
- Facebook: @thelandingonlongwharf
- Twitter: @cruiseBHC
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