When Amber Mae first married Eric Petersen, she always joked that she was going to open a fish market and call it The Fish Monger’s Wife. Eric thought the market was a good idea, but hated the name. After their first daughter Anna was born, the couple revisited the idea of opening a market. However, they didn’t want the overhead or time commitment involved with a store front.
That’s when they found the perfect solution–become a vendor at the Muskegon Farmer’s Market. After an enthusiastic feedback from the market’s manager, Eric and Amber started selling fresh whitefish fillets at the market in June 2010. And the name they chose… The Fish Monger’s Wife.
“Eric still hates the name, but people love it. At the market I’m known as The Wife. The market staff doesn’t even remember my real name,” says Amber Mae.
Opening a retail business was completely new for Eric who has fished commercially with his family at Petersen’s Fisheries since he was old enough to hold a dip net. Meanwhile Amber Mae grew up working with her own family’s retail business.
“It’s only natural for us to open our own business. We both grew up working with our parents and that’s something we’d like to continue with our own daughter,’ say Amber Mae.
Each week, the couple purchases fish from Petersen’s Fisheries and then cleans, pin bones and packages the fish for greatest freshness. From there, Amber Mae takes the fillets to the Farmer’s Market on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
So far, The Fish Monger’s Wife has been a huge success at the Muskegon Farmer’s Market. Area residents are initially surprised to see fresh, locally caught whitefish at the market, but then they are delighted.
To start off the couple plans to keep it simple by attending only one market. “Going to other markets would put Anna at a babysitter more and that’s not why we did this. The business will have to grow as our family grows,” says Amber Mae.
Amber Mae says with a laugh, “We have an agreement. Eric goes on the boat, I go to market and the two shall not cross. That’s how we’ll continue to have a wonderful marriage!”
Click here for her website. You may email Amber Mae by clicking here.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Wendel Wickland // May 12, 2011 at 1:38 pm
Dear Amber,
I was really happy to see that you are selling fresh fish in Muskegon. I am moving from Buffalo, NY to Muskegon at the end of June and will certainly show up at the Farmer’s Market. I have become used to easily accessible fresh fish in great variety here in the area and was concerned that fresh fish would not be available in Muskegon. While the variety may not be great, fresh is most important. I look forward to meeting you.
2 Allene Hoffman // Aug 24, 2011 at 6:12 am
I was surprised to see fresh fish at the flea market yesterday 8/23! I purchased Amber’s last whitefish filet, which she said was caught out by the pier the day before. The fish was cleaned and boned to perfection, was perfectly white, odorless and tasted delicious! I saute’d the fish, skin on, in a little unsalted butter, dash of EVOO (olive oil). Brown meat side, flip to crispen the skin and sprinkle with lemon pepper. Tartar sauce: Tbsp. capers and 2-3 Tbsp Hellman’s mayonnaise. Delicious!
3 don // Sep 12, 2011 at 11:45 am
Need to order Smoked Salmon for friends in Nashville. How do I do that?
Thanks,
Don Kettler 231-638-2399
4 Webmaster // Sep 13, 2011 at 9:55 am
As far as I know, Amber only sells fresh caught whitefish. The other fish vendor sells smoked chubs from Lake Michigan. I am not aware of a Market vendor selling smoked salmon.
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