NORTON SHORES, Mich. — The Fish Monger's Wife in Norton Shores announced Tuesday on Facebook that the store will be closing its doors in April.
"It's been a really hard decision to make," Amber Mae said.
Owners Amber Mae and Eric Petersen began selling whitefish that Eric had caught in 2010, and the venture grew into a business that specializes in both fresh and smoked fish. Eric and his family have been commercial fishing in Lake Michigan since 1927.
While the original plan was to sell fish for seasonal income, Amber Mae said it quickly became more.
"June 8, 2010, I showed up at the Muskegon Farmers Market scared to death that no one would want to buy fish, but so very determined to provide a good life for my newborn daughter," Amber Mae wrote in the post. "And for the first 10 years, Eric and I managed to do that. We grew our family and business to the best of our ability."
Amber Mae said the decision to close the store was largely financial. Most of the store's sales went to local restaurants, and when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the commercial fishing industry went "face-first into the cement."
"The recovery on that has been exceptionally slow. So we are seeing a slow recovery that we just cannot hold out for any more," Amber Mae said. "We've depleted our resources. And now is the time that we need to make the best decision for our family."
After selling at the Muskegon Farmers Market, Amber Mae and Eric purchased a brick and mortar shop in 2012, where they have worked closely with customers since.
"I have some people that came in and like they were dating, and then they got engaged, and now they have their first baby," Amber Mae said.
She said leaving their customers behind will be difficult.
"Yeah, it's really hard because you just become so intertwined with people in just that, like short little window of time," she said. "You get to see them once a week. But you know so much about them. And so it's gonna be hard."
Amber Mae said her family has grown up with the business too.
"I built this business like this was my baby," she said. "We had a newborn when we started and we had another baby when we opened this building."
The Petersens will not be leaving the Muskegon area, however. Amber Mae says she is already looking for work, while Eric will continue to fish.
The store will remain open for two weeks to sell the remaining inventory. Hours of operation will be from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. on March 31 and April 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9. On April 9, all remaining fish will be 75% off.
Due to credit card fees, only cash will be accepted.
For more information on The Fish Monger's Wife, visit their Facebook page or website.
The Fish Monger's Wife
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