Seaport Fish closes Kittery location

By Jesse Scardina
jscardina@seacoastonline.com
NH_Portsmouth_Herald

KITTERY – After a little more than a year expanding into town on Route 1 as a fish market and restaurant, Rye-based Seaport Fish closed down the Kittery location.

“We’re a seafood company,” said Rich Pettigrew, owner of Seaport Fish. “We tried the restaurant thing, it wasn’t working out as expected. We brought it back to what we do best.”

Pettigrew said the two locations were almost competing against themselves in the retail market place, while he also gained a greater appreciation of the restaurant business.

“I have a greater respect for successful restaurants,” Pettigrew said. “It gave me greater appreciation for what they go through. It’s a lot of work to run two different businesses. We decided to rein it back.”

Jim Spencer, owner of nearby Carl’s Meat Market and Golden Harvest produce shop, owns the neighboring property and building, which features a large glass front, crossing wooden beams and a full kitchen inside.

Spencer was brief in comment Monday afternoon at the Golden Harvest, but said that closing the restaurant and marketplace was a decision Pettigrew made and he wishes him the best.

“I wish Seaport all the best,” Spencer said.

Spencer also said that he has had a couple interested parties inquire about the property, but wouldn’t delve into the details of who may be interested.

“We’re working with a couple of different people now,” Spencer said. “I’ve had a few people ask about it.”

Last August, Pettigrew told seacoastonline.com that the location, which was roughly a year and a half in the making, was a “substantial investment,” transforming the existing building into the fish market and restaurant, which included new bathrooms and a state-of-the-art kitchen.