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S A N TA C R U Z S E N T I N E L . C O M 2022 READERS CHOICE AWARDS | FEBRUARY 26, 2023 | 15 create the website of our dreams." H&H looks forward to serving the community for many years to come. "We are so touched to receive this recognition and feel we would be nothing without the support of our close-knit community including the wonderful Farmers' Market organizations that support us," says Heidi. "Sometimes we think about all the households throughout Santa Cruz and the Bay Area that end up with H&H fish on their plates weekly and we are completely moved with gratitude and in awe." Shopper's Corner Readers chose Shopper's Corner as runner-up in in the favorite seafood market category. "Locals know that we have an incredible fish counter that you can always depend on to have fresh high-quality fish. This has been the case since our opening nearly 85 years ago," says third-generation owner Andre Beauregard. It's no surprise that with the shop's long history, they were named "best grocery store" for the sixth consecutive year in this year's poll. In addition, they received "best wine selection" and "best butcher" this year (and these are accolades they have earned many times). But we digress. Back to the seafood: there are several reasons Shopper's Corner customers love buying fish here. "We have fresh seafood delivered daily from local vendors like Stagnaro Bros. and Pacific Harvest," says Chris Sanders, who serves as Meat and Seafood Department manager. "We carry wild and sustainably raised farm fish as well a large variety of prawns, shrimp, shellfish, scallops—plus our most recent and very popular homemade salmon cakes and sashimi grade salmon and Ahi tuna!" He and his team work hard every day to "carry what our customers want to cook and to answer any questions they have. If you don't see it in our seafood counter, there's a good chance we can get whatever you're looking for." Andre echoes this sentiment. "The counter is constantly evolving along with what customers want," he says. "Since we opened in 1938, Shopper's has been a great place to get seafood. According to my dad Jim, my great grandfather Bud and Malio Stagnaro were good friends and we have been working with them since the beginning." Look behind the meat and seafood counter at the store, and you'll see old photos on the wall featuring local fishermen "hauling gigantic salmon off their boats onto the Santa Cruz Wharf," adds Chris. He feels blessed to live in an area that has always had such an abundant supply of seafood. "However, in recent years regulations have been put in place (to make sure people don't overfish) to allow the natural habitat to flourish. Shopper's Corner is a huge supporter of conservation efforts. With any farm fish we carry, we make sure it is sustainably raised in open water bins and certified by the Monterey Bay." If you've never bought fish from Shopper's, here are a couple tips about their top-selling items: "During local salmon season (May-September), our Wild King Salmon is by far the most popular because it's caught just a few hours right off the bay before it's delivered to us by our local commercial fishermen," says Chris. "Whole cooked local Dungeness crabs are a hot item when they're in season as well (typically December-March). We're always happy to clean and crack them for you too. Our homemade salmon cakes, which I mentioned earlier, sell out really quickly. It's always best to call the shop to make sure we have them. We have all types of cod fish delivered fresh daily such as Rock, Icelandic True, Ling and Black cod. Also, Alaskan Halibut is my favorite and highly recommended!" No matter what you choose, the team at Shopper's is there to help—and with a smile on their faces. "I feel very fortunate to work with so many great people. They all work hard every day with positive can-do attitudes," says Andre. Behind the meat and seafood counter, there is a crew of "14 full time butchers that are highly skilled, humble, and eager to learn more," says Chris. "We strive to be the best at what we do, and I'm honored to be a part of it. We take pride in our customer service so getting voted for in this category makes me stoked to know we're making people happy," he adds. Contact Information H&H Fresh Fish, 493 Lake Ave., Suite A, Santa Cruz, 831-462-3474, hhfreshfish.com, Instagram @hhfreshfishco Shopper's Corner, 622 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, 831-423-1398, shopperscorner.com, Instagram @shopperscorner_sc Dean Austin Senior Vice President, Regional President 831.262.6045 Michele Bassi Senior Vice President, Managing Director 831.206.1461 When Local Businesses Bank. They Bank with Us. 3110 Mission Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95065 www.1stcapital.bank Member FDIC | Equal Opportunity Lender | SBA Preferred Lender

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