Our Story

Conception

9 Custom House Wharf, in Portland, Maine, has been the site of a fish market since sometime in the late 1800’s. Eventually, the Alfiero family purchased the building, establishing Harbor Fish Market in 1966.  Specifically, this was a joint venture between Ben Alfiero, Sr. and his older brother John. In time, John handed over the reins to Ben in 1975. During the next few years, Ben’s three sons Nick, Ben, Jr., and Mike joined in. They worked as a team of three brothers and father until Ben Sr. retired in 2000.
 

Expansion of the Early 80’s

Once the three brothers were involved, the market started expanding. In the early 1980’s, both the appreciation of good food and good restaurants grew in popularity. In an attempt to capitalize on the expanding market, Harbor Fish started sourcing more diverse species. Consequently, this caught the attention of local restaurants, who were always searching for a dish to set them apart.

Due to their upbringing in an Italian-American family, the Alfieros had already been exposed to these exotic species. Utilizing the recipes of their mother and wife, Gloria, the family enticed the local chefs. Eventually, the market became known for carrying species like tuna, squid, monkfish, and more. Their inherited culture also inspired them to impart to the public that good food is important to health and well-being. This cultural pillar has been the philosophical backbone of the market through the decades.

Business thrived through the 80’s, because fish was plentiful and relatively inexpensive. With this in mind, the Alfieros moved their processing operation to a larger facility on Commercial Street. This newly added capacity aided their ability to supply larger customers like A&P, Grand Union, and ShopRite. Their fish also found its way to distributors in Philadelphia, Cleveland, New York, San Francisco, and more. Growth found not only the wholesale operation, but also retail. Thus, the family opened a second retail location in North Deering.
 

Consolidation in the Late 80’s

In the late 1980’s, wide cutbacks hit the seafood industry following the significant growth in conservation efforts. As a result, Harbor Fish refocused their wholesale operation. They continued to serve a national range of clientele, while compacting the physical processing and distribution.  With this intention, they moved back to the original (newly expanded) Custom House Wharf location. Unfortunately, a late-80s fire claimed the North Deering retail location. Following this, the entire operation—wholesale and retail—remained housed at 9 Custom House Wharf for decades.
 

New Opportunities

In March 2022, The Alfiero family embarked on another joint venture. They opened a retail outlet in Scarborough with Rosemont Market. Similarly, Rosemont is a locally-owned food business that has earned the trust of the discerning Greater Portland public. As that location grows and thrives, it continues to be run by a family born and raised in Portland. A family who still won’t sell anything they wouldn’t bring home themselves.