Three generations

Fieret’s Vishandel is a family business that has been passed on from father to son. Today three generations are employed in the company. We may say that each of them has been brought up with the business of the company. The older generations in particular spent many free hours in their youth before and after school in the company.

Our forefathers

We know that our forefathers were fishermen by trade and that they lived in Scheveningen. They came to Oostburg during WWII. They started an eel smokehouse. This smokehouse has existed for only one generation. The next generation started separate companies, including in transport. Our great grandfather was from this generation. He started “peddling” fish.

 

How it all started

Fieret’s Vishandel was founded in 1948 when our great-grandfather started a little shop, in addition to ‘peddling’at the doors. Our great-grandmother managed this shop, and took care of the household and children in the house next door.

Sluis

At that time, many Belgians were already shopping in Oostburg and especially in Sluis. As the business expanded, the little shop next to home became too small. Searching for a larger building was necessary, ánd was found in Sluis at the Oude Kerkstraat. In 1960 our great-grandfather and our grandfather obtained the qualification of fish shopkeeper from the Fish Trade foundation.

The market

With the move to Sluis, ‘peddling’ was coming to an end. Our grandfather started looking for different locations of markets here in the Netherlands and in Belgium. At that time, the markets we were selling our products in the Netherlands were: Vlissingen, Oostburg, Aardenburg and Axel. In Belgium, these markets were in Zwevegem, Harelbeke and Maldegem. Today we are only on the market in Belgium in Kortrijk, Tielt, Gent and Knokke.

Wholesale

Our grandfather was now married and moved with his family to the Industrieweg where a house, workplace and an office were built. The fish was also supplied to business customers. In Oostburg, the workplace grew into what it is today.

At the quay in Sluis

In 1994, the store moved again to an even larger building at the quay in Sluis. You can still find us in that building. Our doors are open Monday till Saturday from 08.00 AM to 05.00 PM. Please be welcome!