Seagrape Seafood Market opens in downtown Palmetto

PALMETTO

If Palmetto residents are looking for the freshest seafood they can find, there may be no one better to buy it from than Helen Dixon, who spent more than 10 years working all over the world as a marine biologist.

In 2003, she returned to Anna Maria Island where she fell in love with the community and Ted Pasquantonio, who is now her husband. She was packed and ready to go to Liberia for a Peace Corps trip when the program was cancelled because of the Ebola virus. Not long after, the opportunity to open Seagrape came along.

Together they opened Seagrape Seafood Market last Friday to fulfill one of Dixon's dreams. Dixon runs the business side of the market and Pasquantonio, who spent 15 years as a cook at Rod and Reel Pier, works as the market's chef preparing crab cakes and other seafood delicacies.

The Ridgely, Md., native spent four months renovating a 1,300-square-foot space at 421 10th Ave. W. in downtown Palmetto. Dixon wants to not only provide the Palmetto community with high-quality seafood but educate customers about what they're preparing for dinner.

"My emphasis has always been on sustainable fisheries and aquaculture," she said. "I wanted to have a community-based market to educate as well as provide retail." Dixon said a lack of knowledge often inhibits people from eating seafood, one of the "best protein sources" and she hopes to help customers overcome those fears.

And though she will keep a steady stock of shrimp, salmon and other favorites, Dixon won't ship fish from across the globe to fill her case.

She's a firm believer in eating in sync with the land and taking advantage of the available supply from fisheries she knows are responsible and sustainable.

When Dixon isn't conducting business for Seagrape, she runs her own side consulting gig helping people with projects like setting up their own shrimp and sea

food farms.

"We got into this consumer demand for certain products year round and it has gotten us into trouble because we're sourcing products from overseas and we don't know if it's safe," Dixon said. So far, she said the majority of her customers are asking where her seafood comes from and she enjoys being able to tell them.

Keeping money in the local economy is important to Dixon, too. She carries everything customers need to create a healthy meal all in one stop. She hopes soon to source produce from somewhere in Manatee County. She also wants to support area fisheries and anyone trying to improve the fishery industry, such as the Healthy Earth Sustainable Seafood team. Eventually, Seagrape will offer delivery, carry-out and catering services, Dixon said.

Seagrape is also a part of the revitalization of downtown Palmetto that building owner John Wright is hoping to see.

"I believe Palmetto is on the front end of resurgence," Wright said. "We're trying to be one of the first owners and tenants to breathe new life into Old Main Street, historic Palmetto and the city of Palmetto."

Janelle O'Dea, business reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7095. Follow her on Twitter @jayohday.

This story was originally published February 5, 2016 at 11:59 PM with the headline "Seagrape Seafood Market opens in downtown Palmetto ."