Date: Fri 18-Apr-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Quick Words:

business-fish-store-Washburn

Full Text:

Sandy Hook Lands A Fish Store

B Y A NDREA Z IMMERMANN

Last week, after Cathy and Jeff Washburn opened the doors of their new

business, Sandy Hook Lobster & Fish Company, they realized one customer had

gotten a heck of a deal on clams. That's because the diamond in Cathy's

engagement ring fell out in the ice and was carried off in a bag with some

tight-lipped mollusks.

"Anyone who returns it gets free lobsters," Cathy said, laughing. But you

don't need such an excuse to visit the new store, located at 115 Church Hill

Road.

"We felt like Newtown needed [a lobster and fish store]. There was nothing

here since Fruit and Flounder closed," said Jeff, who is a service engineer

for M&O Heating and Cooling. "We have deliveries three times a week - fresh

fish cut from whole fish. If someone wanted something special, we could

probably order it," he said. For instance, this week a customer asked them to

find a big, whole squid.

Many people will opt to do their seafood shopping at the fish store because

the prices are competitive and the product is fresh, said Cathy. "They can

look right at it and tell it's fresh," she said.

The fresh seafood, which comes from Boston and New York, includes "just about

everything" - a variety of fish (salmon and swordfish are offered in both

filet and steak cuts), shellfish, mussels and clams, bay and sea scallops,

cooked and raw shrimp of every size, and crabcakes. Prepared food such as

stuffed sole, stuffed clams, and (the most popular) stuffed scallops is made

by Cathy, who uses a family stuffing recipe that calls for bay scallops,

crabmeat, popcorn shrimp, and bacon. Fresh Rhode Island (clear) clam chowder

with "lots of stock" is a specialty item made exclusively for the shop.

Frozen items include crawfish, king crab, soft shell crab, lobster tails,

mussels, squid, calamari and blue crabs. Marinades, rice, seasonings and

stuffing are also available at the store. For those without much experience

preparing seafood, Cathy offers the book, How To Cook Your Catch.

The Washburns have lived in Sandy Hook for nine years and are looking forward

to adding something to the center of that section of town. "The Hook is

adorable - it reminds me of Vermont," said Cathy. "It got a little run down

but they're fixing it up. We'll try to get some more people down here. It'll

be nice. In the summer people can come, park their cars, walk around the Hook

and shop."

Sandy Hook Lobster & Fish Company is a real community store where people are

invited to bring in recipes for others to try, said Cathy.

Cathy designed the layout of the store with an auto-CAD system; her husband

and her brother, Billy Virgalla, fashioned the unfinished space into a

cheerful store decorated in green and white.

"I was in the business years ago, for five or six years," said Cathy, who will

manage the store.

Jeff is an avid fisherman and Cathy, an enthusiastic sportswoman. During a

recent, memorable trip, Jeff caught a 37 lb albacore tuna and Cathy brought in

a 150 lb blue shark. The couple often goes fishing with Jeff's brother, who

operates a charter boat business out of Montauk, N.Y.

Although friends and family contributed a great deal of time to help the

Washburns establish their new venture, Cathy said her brother, Billy Virgalla,

went above and beyond. He was there for many consecutive evenings and

weekends, which meant he had to temporarily set aside his favorite sport - fly

fishing.

Sandy Hook Lobster & Fish Company will have its grand opening on Saturday,

April 19, from 10 am to 7 pm. Regular hours are Monday through Wednesday, 10

am to 6 pm; Thursday, 10 am to 7 pm; Friday, 10 am to 8 pm; Saturday, 10 am to

7 pm; and Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm. For more information call Cathy at the store,

270-0843.