Lighthouse Fish Market set to close in April after 40 years

After 40 years in the heart of Hamilton, the Lighthouse Fish Market on James Street North is waving goodbye this April. They started by selling fresh seafood and Portuguese goodies, becoming the neighbourhood’s go-to-market.

Frank Miranda opened the family run business in 1983 and his daughter Sandy Miranda said, “selling the business wasn’t an easy decision for us… but as we promised our late father that we would sell it so mom could enjoy her retirement.”

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Fresh produce, meats, a hot counter, olives and more are staples at the Portuguese market, which went up for sale in 2019.

Sandy Miranda says her mom is finally ready to part ways with the business. “I think she’s still in a little bit of a shock it hasn’t really set in but she will… it’s going to be hard for her to do nothing for a while and get used to the new lifestyle but she will be fine.”

Since the news broke two days ago, Sandy says the store has been receiving hundreds of phone calls from shoppers to check if they’re actually closing.

Antonio Rocha has been shopping at the store for over 20 years. “Yeah I’m sad because this is my house long time… I come buy stuff and everything… she has a daughter and another daughter and they’re my best friend.”

Another long-time shopper, Silvino Barbosa, says it’s going to be a huge loss for the neighbourhood. “I feel really sorry, especially for the Portuguese community because this is the best store in town… one is closed another is closed there are not too many in James Street.”

Sandy says the biggest thing they’re going to miss, are the customers, “it’s the care the compassion, the relationships that developed over four decades.”

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Morty Morgenstern owns a business next to the Lighthouse Fish Market. He says he’s known the family since the mid 1960s and that James Street North is going to be different without the Miranda family around.

“Good people, good people, hard workers really hard workers and it shows in the success that they’ve had,” Morgenstern said.

It’s unclear what’s next for the location. The fish market’s final day is Apr. 30, but Sandy says they’re hoping to close sometime in March.