Our loans to Bridgeport-based Westport Fishing LLC, have supported the activities of the Lobster wholesaler.

 

 

Originally from Westport, Massachusetts, Westport Fishing LLC has distributed fresh fish and lobsters for years from Canada, Boston, Maryland and beyond to customers such as Stew Leonard’s, Stop and Shop, the Rotary Club and many smaller restaurants. Owner Charles Viens and his business partner Larry Fernandez established and expanded Westport Fishing from decades of experience, which included working as a lobsterman and fisherman respectively.

As Westport Fishing grew, they began looking for a bigger facility. “We needed more space, but didn’t want to give up our location near the water,” said Viens.   CommCap provided Westport Fishing with a $250,000 mortgage to purchase a facility on Knowlton Street. Boasting 9,100 square feet, the new building quadrupled their space and gave them a loading dock. An additional $200,000 CommCap line of credit helped them retrofit the previous CocaCola distribution site to meet their unique needs, which included creating a new retail market called Bridgeport Lobster and Shellfish as well as building a state of the art water tank that holds up to 20,000 pounds of live lobsters.

 “Community Capital Fund believed in our idea,” said Charles Viens. “Nobody else believed in the idea but they did.”

At Community Capital Fund, we’re confident in Bridgeport and its significant potential. And we’re confident in the developers and business owners, like Charles and Larry.