An Illawarra institution for over 20 years, Harley & Johns Seafood owner Grant Logue credits their focus on sustainability, quality, and community for its popularity.

Words Diana Loppolo @ignitecontent

Photos Pete Balmer @illawarratimes

Born and bred in Wollongong, Grant didn’t always have the seafood industry on his career path radar. “I started out working on high-end house builds in Sydney, but after years of travelling four hours a day, I knew I had to find something else,” said Grant. “My wife used to work at Harley & Johns while at university, and while chatting to one of the owners in the shop one day, we learned he was looking to sell his share in the business. I’ve always loved cooking seafood and was interested in business, so I thought – why not try it?”

While switching from building to seafood felt like a massive leap of faith, Grant found his love of cooking seafood and eye for detail shaped on construction sites helped with that transition. Five years after buying into the business, Grant bought out his partner and has been managing the business with his wife ever since.

“A lot has changed over the 14 years we’ve been in the industry,” said Grant. “Initially, I saw a lot of misinformation about sustainability, so I spent a lot of time educating myself on what is truly sustainable, and what isn’t, and how we could incorporate that into our business. At the same time, our customers have become more interested in where and how their seafood is sourced”.

This commitment to sustainability saw the business work closely with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), an international non-profit on a mission to end overfishing and restore fish stocks for future generations.

“The MSC set the standards for the fisherman, ensuring sustainability for the fish, their environment, and the people who work in the industry – and it’s made a huge difference,” said Grant. “For example, the local lobster industry was nearly wiped out by the 1980s. But with good management and the introduction of sustainable practises, the fishery has been built back to as big – if not bigger – than what it was before”.

Grant’s passion for sustainability saw the business become the first independent fish market in NSW to gain the MSC chain of custody certification. This sees the team buying from other businesses within the supply chain with MSC certification while providing customers with the widest range possible through a combination of local and national suppliers. “We try to source locally and work directly with fishermen where we can, then look further afield for seafood that our region can’t supply,” said Grant. “We’re at Sydney Fish Markets five days a week, and have seafood flown in from Queensland and Tasmania.”

Beyond sustainability, Grant enjoys working with and supporting the local community. “Within the shop, we supply a variety of locally produced products, some of which we’ve helped bring to market,” said Grant. “For example, Second Fiddle Smokehouse use our facility to smoke their fish. We stock South Coast Kimchi, South Coast blends, Tilba milk and cheese, and artisan salami from a family business in Campbelltown”.

“We’ve had some customers bring in their newborns, and now they are teens, and some families have become great friends. It’s not all about business – it’s about those relationships – and I’ve loved that aspect about running a business”

The support for local businesses has turned the Christmas Eve line-up into a mini market, where producers set up market stalls outside the store and talk to customers about their products while they wait. “We have the customers, so why not help these businesses and add some value to our customers at the same time?” said Grant.

After 14 years in the seafood business, it is the relationships Grant has built over the years that stand out the most. “We’ve built relationships with local fishermen, artisan producers, and our regular customers at the store,” said Grant.

“We’ve had some customers bring in their newborns, and now they are teens, and some families have become great friends. It’s not all about business – it’s about those relationships – and I’ve loved that aspect about running a business”.

Summer Seafood Tips

Hot seafood: “I love cooking seafood over charcoal. It’s a slower process, but it’s perfect for your crustaceans, especially local lobsters and Moreton Bay bugs. I add a simple garlic and chilli Asian-inspired butter and baste it with that”

Cold seafood: “Simplicity is the key – you want the seafood to be the hero, not the sauce. If you have good quality seafood, you really don’t need much more than a squeeze of lemon to enjoy the flavour”.

Local products for your platter: