Harbor Fish Market co-owner Mike Alfiero welcomed customers Tuesday at the new shop in Scarborough. Drew Johnson / The Forecaster
Rosemont Market & Bakery and Harbor Fish Market opened their new store Tuesday at the old firehouse in Scarborough’s Oak Hill, a collaborative venture new to both.
The two family-owned businesses have a history together, however, with Harbor Fish supplying seafood to many of Rosemont’s seven other locations for more than 10 years.
The new Harbor Fish Market and Rosemont Market & Bakery store is at the location of the old Oak Hill firehouse on Route 1.
Mike Alfiero, co-owner of Harbor Fish Market, says he has “developed a great relationship over the years” with Rosemont’s owners.
“We talked many times that, if the opportunity arose where we could do a project like this, that we were going to try and do it,” Alfiero said. “Their business philosophy is very similar to ours; we support our local fishermen, we care about sustainability, we want a quality selection, offer great service … I think it’s just a great fit.”
Rosemont also puts an emphasis on local products.
“We really found a niche with the local food movement,” said Erin Lynch, director of operations at Rosemont Market & Bakery. “Making sure that our friends and neighbors have a connection to the local food economy with really great products that are being made in Maine, and then also products that we are making ourselves.”
The two companies began the project in 2020 but the pandemic put a pause on it.
“Even though we started construction in August of ’21, it feels like it’s been longer than that,” Alfiero said. “When we were in here in 2020, it was just an empty building and debris everywhere. To just kind of look and go ‘wow’ with all the work we’ve done.”
The store, at 246 U.S. Route 1, was busy on its opening day with customers weaving in and out of the aisles and lining up at the counter for seafood. The parking lot neared its capacity.
Harbor Fish Market and Rosemont Market & Bakery both sell locally-sourced products. Drew Johnson / The Forecaster
One of the perks of the collaboration, Lynch said, is that the market is a one-stop shop for customers.
“Having Harbor Fish’s beautiful products and their expertise, and then having all of our ingredients to make a really great meal,” she said. “Walk in after work, pick up the beautiful piece of fish, in a few steps have some gorgeous vegetables, maybe cheese, a bottle of wine and some pastries for breakfast tomorrow. We think it’s kind of the whole package.”
The new market is the eighth location for Rosemont, which started up in 2005. It’s the second location for Harbor Fish, which has operated an iconic Portland fish market on Custom House Wharf since 1966. The original location is “hard to maneuver,” Alfiero said, and the space in the new Scarborough store was needed.
“We saw an opportunity here to kind of spread our wings,” he said. “We have plenty of parking, doing all the prepared stuff we’re doing … I think this particular site was perfect for what we wanted to do.”
Both markets are excited to be working more closely together and are looking forward to strengthening their relationship in the years ahead.
“I think we’re all so excited about this project,” Lynch said. “We’re hoping this is the beginning of a new path for Rosemont and Harbor Fish.”
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