April 3, 2020 — Fisherman’s Wharf looks like an unused movie set, a shadow of its pre-pandemic self. Most businesses are closed.
One of the few signs of life is a wholesaler who has quickly adapted to the new challenges the fishing industry faces with a huge loss of sales.
Tucked towards the back of Pier 45, Joe Conte, owner of Water 2 Table, found a new way to keep his doors open.
He showed a KTVU crew halibut and black cod, fresh catch from local fishermen. Conte normally sells solely to Bay Area restaurants. But with the shelter-in-place order, they closed and the market was suddenly gone overnight.
“I’m pretty scared that we lost all our restaurant business,” said Conte, “We immediately pivoted to home deliveries we reached out to our email contacts.”
He started building a new clientele: the retail customer. First, it was a dozen orders.