A Seattle fish market that's been around for decades has closed its doors for the last time On Monday (September 25), Converge Media shared a touching video dedicated to Mutual Fish Company, which provided fresh seafood to people and businesses for nearly 77 years.
“We’ve had people coming here for over 20 years,” owner Harry Yoshimura told the news source. “They’ve all been very loyal and they’re good people.”
Mutual Fish originally opened on 14th and Yesler in 1946 before moving to Rainier Valley in 1965. Yoshimura's family has always owned and operated the business, and they believed in getting the most natural, wild product possible to sell. Many customers flocked to the retailer over the last few weeks to share fond memories and thank Yoshimura.
"This guy is an institution, the whole family," Peter Gordon told FOX 13. "Harry is the seafood MAC, everybody knows him, everybody likes his stuff. He sends fish all over the country."
When asked why Mutual Fish is closing, Yoshimura told reporters that the COVID-19 pandemic and restaurant closures played a role in his decision.
"Pre-covid you know, all the good chefs were around, and we knew them all, most of them, and everybody worked together. It was a real happy community," the owner explained. "You have a lot of small restaurants opening up, but a lot of the major restaurants, it's real hard for them at the moment. Because in the evening, there’s not much traffic downtown."
Yoshimura also said it was simply time to retire. He added, "We have been here for a long time, and trying our best, and we are getting old."