‘A huge part of my life’: Retailers farewell old fish market site

After 33 years running his family business at the old Sydney Fish Markets, Harry Kouros said moving to the new site felt bittersweet.

“The old one’s been a huge part of my life … so it is a bit sentimental to leave it,” the Fish Market Cafe owner said.

“But [I’m] looking forward to a new chapter here. It’s an amazing building, all open spaces. It’s got magnificent views of Anzac Bridge and Blackwattle Bay – it’s just lovely.”

Kouros had his hands full also running his two other businesses, Squid Inc and the Boatshed, on the market’s very last day of trading on Sunday.

The new $836 million fish market building at Blackwattle Bay, which opens on Monday, has more than 40 shops. It has double the retail space of the old Pyrmont site.

It’s not entirely out with the old, in with the new, as most of the existing retailers – including the six seafood vendors – have signed leases to move across at below-market rates. A rent review is due in five years.

Kouros hopes the move will give him an opportunity to begin to step back and let the new generation take over. His son, Panayiotis, manages the Boatshed, which the 23-year-old said had been there for “god knows how long”.

“So it’s good they made a new one with all the new facilities.”

Panayiotis said what would not change is their offering of “fresh seafood, like always”.

On top of seafood wholesalers, retailers and restaurants, the new space also has a bakery, a deli and milk tea shops.

The new site is open from 7am to 10pm on Sundays to Thursdays. Trading hours are extended to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Speaking to the Herald at the old market last week, Getfish owner Tony Muollo was a blur of activity, juggling phone calls, last-minute deliveries, moving equipment and prepping staff.

“It’s been hectic to get ready – this is a big move,” he said. “We’re pushing, pushing, pushing – but I can see the finish line.”

Muollo expected the new site to be a haven for Sydneysiders and tourists.

“Usually, people overestimate,” he said, when asked about the projected figure of six million annual visitors. “But I think in this particular case, they’ve underestimated. This is going to be the No.1 tourist attraction.”

Muollo is “scaling up” with the extra space at the new site and has plans to add a hot food bar, a night-time restaurant and an extended sashimi bar as well as a takeaway menu.

He purchased one of the fish market’s premier retail outlets, De Costi Bros, in 2004 after a long career in the Australian and New Zealand fishing industries, and renamed it GetFish in 2017. He also owns TransTasman Fisheries and Pyrmont Seafoods.

Muollo said the new building’s design, with its 230-metre-long roof and panels reminiscent of fish scales was “different, but unique”.

“People had their thoughts about the Opera House back in the day, but then they might have their opinion about the fish market – but all I know is the visitation is going to be very high,” he said.

“It’s not always about the outside. It’s what’s going to be on the inside.”

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