The Fish Monger’s Wife closing after 12 years

NORTON SHORES, MI – Diane Strandberg will be losing a job she considered “heaven.”

Jim Warren doesn’t know where he’s going to buy smoked fish.

A community staple in the eyes of “fish folk” will soon be no more.

The Fish Monger’s Wife, a beloved fish market near Lake Michigan, is in its final days of operation, and the customers are lining up to say goodbye and get one more order of freshly caught fish.

Owners Amber Mae and Eric Petersen, the wife-and-husband team, saw first-hand Thursday how much their fish market has meant to the community.

“The first four people through the door were lifetime fish folk,” Amber Mae told MLive/Muskegon Chronicle. “The store was full the whole (morning).”

The Petersens announced this week the store will permanently close on April 9. Before closing, the Petersens said they would be selling all of their inventory, on set days, over the next two weeks.

Despite a little rain Thursday, fish folk – a term the Petersens use to refer to their loyal customers – lined up outside of The Fish Monger’s Wife shop at 9:30 a.m., which is a half hour before doors actually opened.

The Petersens first launched The Fish Monger’s Wife in 2010 by selling fresh whitefish caught in Lake Michigan at the Muskegon Farmers Market. The couple later expanded the family retail fish outlet to a permanent location on Sherman Boulevard in Norton Shores.

Customers continued trickling into the fish market throughout the afternoon Thursday. One by one, customers were helped by Diane Strandberg, who has worked at The Fish Monger’s Wife for about a year.

“Amber and Eric are the best people to work for. ... Being here, this was heaven,” she said after packaging up an order for a customer.

That customer was Muskegon resident Jim Warren.

“I first bought from them when they were at the Muskegon Farmers Market,” he said, holding onto four pounds of smoked fish he just purchased. “I feel bad about them closing. I don’t know where I’m going to get smoked fish now.”

After hearing the news of the store’s closing, Barb Benedict, of Spring Lake, made the 15-mile trek from her home to The Fisher Monger’s Wife on Thursday for one simple purpose.

“I drive here because of their fish,” Benedict, a three-year customer, said while waiting to order.

Fish folk browsed through the store throughout the afternoon, sharing memories and hugs with Amber Mae. As they exited the shop, several customers sent well wishes to the Petersens on their next journey.

On the other side of the business, Eric was busy smoking fish while his father, Bill Petersen, kept the front showroom freezer full.

Eric Petersen is a fourth-generation member of the Petersen Fisheries family in Muskegon County. According to the Petersens, Eric plans to continue the commercial fishing operation, while Amber Mae is looking for employment outside of the fishing industry.

The Fish Monger’s Wife will be open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 1-2, and again from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, April 7-9. Sales will be cash only.

The store will reopen April 29-30 for an equipment sale.

The Fish Monger’s Wife is located at 2127 W. Sherman Boulevard.

During its time, The Fish Monger’s Wife offered fresh Great Lakes fish from whitefish to perch, walleye and salmon.

The decision to close, Amber Mae previously told MLive, was financially related. The pandemic, specifically the wholesale restaurant market, hurt the commercial fishing industry, including the Petersens’ business.

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