George Kontras was always passionate about seafood. A native of Greece, he loved cooking and eating fresh cuts of fish, creating recipes inspired by the predominantly pescatarian diet of his culture. So when he relocated to Buffalo, New York in the early 1980s, he decided to open a fish market so residents could purchase fresh seafood without having to travel far. Bailey Seafood was born. By Jessica Jones
George Kontras was always passionate about seafood. A native of Greece, he loved cooking and eating fresh cuts of fish, creating recipes inspired by the predominantly pescatarian diet of his culture. So when he relocated to Buffalo, New York in the early 1980s, he decided to open a fish market so residents could purchase fresh seafood without having to travel far. Bailey Seafood was born.
“He worked very hard to bring fresh fish to this area,” noted Michael Kontras, George’s son and current owner of the family business. Michael joined Bailey Seafood in the early 1990s, expanding its offerings to include a wider selection of fish.
“I wanted to bring more variety to Bailey Seafood, so I bought a refrigeration truck and started driving seven hours to New York City to purchase fish from the Fulton Market,” Kontras said. “It was really a boon for our business. We started carrying fish that no one else in Buffalo could offer.”
Kontras made that trek for five years, learning the ins and outs of purchasing before hooking up with a trucking company and buying directly from processors. He purchased the business from his father in 1995 and gradually introduced a menu of takeout dishes.
“I wanted to get out of the raw fish market because it’s a lot of work and a lot of long hours,” Kontras said. “I also recognized that my generation doesn’t like to cook their own fish like past generations did. Takeout is a big business with younger customers. So we shifted to takeout, and the business grew.”
No longer a fish market, Bailey Seafood now specializes in grab-and-go: Homemade soups, seafood boils, skillets and rice balls are just a few of the restaurant’s top sellers.
“Our menu is extensive, and we’ve become known for our very big portions,” Kontras said. “It’s a very unique menu. This is not your traditional fish fry.”
In 2019, Kontras took his “choose your own fish and watch it being cooked” concept national as Bailey Seafood dipped its toes into the franchising waters.
“Our pop-up kitchens are great because each franchisee can build it the way they want,” Kontras concluded. “We have a proven, successful takeout menu, and our goal is to share it with other parts of the country.”
For more information, visit baileyseafoodfranchise.net.
– Jessica Jones