For Phil Karlin, tomorrow symbolizes a dream realized, as he hosts the official opening of the North Fork Smoked Fish Co. on First Street in Greenport.
Although Karlin has been open for a few weeks, preparing for the big day, redoing and painting the deck outside and outfitting the shop with shiny counters, new glass, freezers and lighting, tomorrow is the day when the business will officially launch.
Already, customers who streamed in on a recent weekday admired the gleaming trays of smoked salmon and pasta salad, smoked scallop kabobs, stuffed mussels, smoked trout, smoked swordfish pate, smoked eels, mako shark, smoked haddock, cracked pepper salmon, and other tantalizing offerings, along with staples such as smoked salmon and bluefish pates and S’nappa burgers.
The high-grade salmon comes from Norway, and is delivered from Boston, Karlin said, fresh and fatty for brining and smoking.
Fresh fish from Alice’s Fish Market will also be available, he said. Customers will be able to grab pre-packed boxes of Snappa burgers from the freezer and bring them home ready for the grill.
A favorite at farmers markets in Montauk, Riverhead, Westhampton Beach, New York City and on Fire Island, Karlin said his swordfish pate drew raves in Montauk, with some saying it was beyond compare. “That made me feel good,” he said, adding, “We’re artisanal smokers.”
Karlin, surveying his deck, freshly painted in nautical shades, said he plans to have outdoor tables as well as the railing at which patrons can enjoy their takeout fare; he looks forward to firing up the grill just as he did during the Tall Ships Festival to give everyone a taste of his Snappa burger; they can also bring their food to go to Mitchell Park to enjoy Dances in the Park on Monday nights, he said.
Customers, he said, can bring their own wine or beer to drink on the property.
Standing outside, watching people strolling by, Karlin reflected on finally opening, after months of controversy. “It really feels good,” he said, adding that the long days and nights in preparation for the opening had all led to the moment he saw his vision take shape.
Karlin said he enjoys the vibe of his location, deep in the heart of the village. “I love Greenport,” he said.
In June, after months of delays, the North Fork Smoked Fish Co, located at 414 First Street, got the green light from the Greenport Village Planning board to move forward.
In April, the Greenport zoning board of appeals voted unanimously to approve an area variance for North Fork Smoked Fish Co.
“I’m extremely excited about the prospect of a retail operation; it brings my business to a whole new level,” Karlin said at the time, adding that he planned to be open year round.
Karlin said he plans to keep selling wholesale to the customers he has now; his products will still be available at Alice’s Fish Market.
The variance was tied to the current business and not tied to the site in perpetuity.
Many in the room who’d turned out to support Karlin and his business applauded the decision.
Karlin has explained to SoutholdLOCAL what his business means. Brought up on a potato farm in Calverton, Karlin said he grew up lobster fishing with his father. After a four-year stint in the Coast Guard during which he “wore a lot of hats” and lived in Alaska, doing day trips with local fishermen, he came back and ran tug boats. Later, after the BP oil spill in the Galveston Bay in Texas, Karlin headed to help. When he came home in 2010, there were “no jobs,” Karlin said, and he once again fished with his father and sold the catch at the Green Market in New York.
North Fork Smoked Fish products can be found at the Green Market in Union Square in New York, Abingdon Square Farmers Market on Saturdays, and the Riverhead Farmers’ Market, as well as in an increasing number of shops.
His business, Karlin said, features three smokers. When he started to look for a place to rent, he said the K & M-owned building was a perfect fit. The location, he said, was ideal. “I’ve always loved Greenport,” he said. “It’s the place that everyone who’s coming out here is going to.” His business speaks to the village’s maritime and whaling history, Karlin added.
His business, Karlin said, is a dream realized. “To me, it represents freedom,” he said. “I’m my own boss.”
He added, “I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit,” even co-owning Cliff & Phil’s Lobster House in Southold for a time, as well as a lobster boat in Maryland — and said the business, which combines water, seafood, and providing the highest quality and taste for those who buy his products, is a legacy for his three children. “This business means something to me,” he said.
