New owner of George's Fisheries knows the place in and out

Chanbrie Brooker took over Georges Fisheries and Restaurant at the start of May, and is looking to pay homage to the founding father of the shop. Photo / Bevan Conley

The new owner of a historic and popular fish and chip shop in Whanganui wants to restore the legacy the store once had.

Single mother Chanbrie Brooker has taken the plunge and bought Georges Fisheries and Restaurant on Victoria Ave after three years on and off as an employee at the shop.

This is her first business venture and is leaning into all that experience she has gained over the past few years working at the popular fish and chip shop.

"I've worked here for so long, I know the place in and out, may as well give it a go."

She hopes she can usher in a new mentality while sticking to what made the shop so special in its heyday under original owner George Matsis.

"It's George's legacy. He still pops in and he has seen it go up and down and up and down. I just want him to see it rise again."

Keeping simple processes and tried and tested methods such as offering daily fresh fish and hand cut chips was paramount, Brooker said.

"Offering fresh fish is really important. That had to come back. We would also like to offer some other changes, with some healthier options such as a pan-fried fish salad.

"We have our chip machine here that George made. We will definitely stick with that."

The idea of customers buying their own fresh fish out of the window and choosing how it is cooked will be a draw for locals, Brooker said.

"I think that is one of the main attractions. You don't usually see what fish and size is being cooked."

Brooker took over at the start of May and immediately got to work on doing some renovations across the premises.

"We have done quite a bit of work in the dining area, which has made a huge difference. We will move on to the shop aswell, it is something that hasn't been done in a while.

"We are keeping it the same, but modernising it all."

Although it has been stressful diving into the business world, Brooker is excited to see what the future holds and imprinting her own ideas into the business.

"It has been quite daunting, but we have had good support so far and will look to build on that."