Local fishmonger Whitney and Son Seafoods specialize in sustainable wild-caught fish and shellfish.
Hello there; welcome,” said this cheery voice at the retail store of Whitney and Son Seafoods recently.
“Are you looking for a nice piece of fish for your supper tonight,” asked Kendra Goodchild from behind a display cabinet just bursting with fresh sea fare.
The cheery welcome was from Kendra Goodchild, 38, a fresh seafood expert who has worked at Whitney and Son Seafoods for several years.
Located on US 19, just south of County Line Road, Whitney and Son is a well-established fishmonger that distributes and sells fresh and frozen fish products throughout central Florida including the Orlando area. The company has been in business for over 30 years in Florida and is a family-owned and run business.
Carrying on the family tradition are Mark S. Whitney, president and CEO and Donna Whitney, the general manager of the new Fresh Market retail store. The business is located in two separate buildings side by side – one for wholesale and the other for retail customers.
First launched in 1929 by Mark’s grandfather, it sold seafood in the Chicago, Illinois area but when he retired, Mark’s father relocated the business to Florida in the 70s.
“We want to carry on the tradition of supplying only the finest and freshest seafood for our customers,” said Mark Whitney. “That’s what we strive for daily.”
These days, authentic fishmongers are becoming few and far between since the emergence of ‘one-stop’ supermarket shopping, even though true fish lovers would prefer to buy their fish and shellfish from the local fishmonger. Customers Caryl and John Whalen from Spring Hill are such fish lovers and have been regular customers at Whitney and Son for more than 12 years.
“We shop here because we know what we like and at Whitney and Son, we know exactly where that fish comes from,” said Caryl Whalen.
The couple was served by fresh seafood expert Stephen Jean Claude, 60. An ex-Navy man and a Whitney and Son employee for over 25 years, Jean Claude promptly produced some plump fillets of fresh haddock for their inspection.
“That’s just what I want – some haddock and this is the place to get it,” she said. “It’s consistently good, really healthy and not at all expensive,” said Whalen.
“And most of all, we sure look forward to coming in here to have a chat with Stephen and Kendra because they really know their stuff,” she said.
Jean-Claude wrapped the haddock up in crisp white paper and then popped it into a brown paper bag along with a small bag of ice to keep the newly purchased haddock fresh until the couple got home.
Donna Whitney said customers really appreciate that our sales staff are knowledgeable about the fish we sell, much more than staff at supermarket fish counters.
“We invest in training our staff so they have the necessary skills about preparing fish to be cooked at home,” she said. “Staff are also trained in cross-contamination prevention but mostly about different species of fish and from what part of the world they came from,” she said.
Whitney and Son transports a lot of their produce from the north-east of the United States, like lobsters from Maine or sea scallops from New Bedford. But they also get newly caught fish from local fishermen as well as importing whole fresh fish like salmon from Scotland, Honduran lobster tails, Chilean sea bass and Orange Roughy from New Zealand.
“When we get a shipment in, we alert our team of fish cutters and they work through the night to fillet, skin and bone everything ready for delivery to our wholesale customers as well as our retail store,” said Whitney.
Whitney and Son prides itself on being an all-round, first-class fishmonger selling excellent quality, exceptionally fresh fish with good customer service to regulars known by name.
From cod to octopus, from smelts to frog legs, whatever type of fish titillates your fancy, Whitney is able to provide. Every product is wild caught. Whitney and Son does not sell farmed fish at all.
“We’ve had a few odd requests,” said Goodchild. “We once had someone ask for live eels that they could keep in their bath tub until they wanted to eat them,” she said.
Sushi grade tuna and salmon is also available and for those who make their own stock, bouillon and soup, Whitney can also provide offcuts and fish heads. “We sell every part of the fish,” said Jean Claude. “We don’t waste anything at all,” he said.
A large selection of smoked products are available in several different sizes and pack sizes, as well as breaded products like clams strips.
The shellfish section includes lobsters, crabs, langoustines, scallops and mussels, all of which can be custom-prepared to order.
And, committed to ensure top quality live Maine lobsters, the company has built a state-of-the-art lobster holding facility – a closed system with a bio-filter and a titanium chiller.
“We have everything else as well to accompany the fish,” said Jean-Claude. “Like wine, olive oil, ginger, lemons, for example,” he said. Customers can also have their purchases like lobster or clams steamed for one dollar a batch.
Any business interested in being featured in the Hernando Sun, please contact 727.808.9587.
IF YOU GO:
Whitney and Son Seafoods, Inc.
13326 US Hwy 19 N
Hudson, FL 34668
Phone: 727-868-4044
Fax: 727-869-7974
Email:
Sales@whitneyandsonseafoods.com
Website:
whitneyandsonseafoods.com