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Fresh Seafood for Over 75 Years!
Gay Fish Company is a 100% veteran-owned, family-operated shrimp business serving the Lowcountry for over 75 years. Located on St. Helena Island, SC, we proudly offer fresh, locally sourced seafood and shrimp straight from the docks. With a history steeped in tradition, we’ve been feeding generations of families, fishermen, and tourists alike since 1948. Our family’s legacy continues today, with each generation dedicated to delivering the freshest seafood. To learn more, call 843-838-2763 or stop by today! Ask about our discount for first responders!
2023 AND 2024 VOTED BEST SEAFOOD MARKET
Fresh Local Seafood and Market Specials
Our seafood is as fresh as it gets, offering a variety of market specials:
Are you looking for something specific? We accommodate special orders for bulk seafood purchases (50-100 lbs. or more). Call ahead for advance notice, and let us help you prepare for your next big event.
Seafood Party Packs and Special Orders
Are you hosting a party? Our Lowcountry Boil Party Pack is perfect for gatherings, featuring shrimp, sausage, corn, red potatoes, onions, and Old Bay seasoning—able to feed a party of 10 (1/2 lb. of shrimp per person). Whether you’re a local or a visitor at one of the nearby resorts or campgrounds, we’ve got everything you need for a memorable feast. We even have stock pot rentals!
History of Frogmore Stew
Buster Gay started cooking this for the family. Richard Gay named it Frogmore Stew. In the 1960s, he was on National Guard duty in Beaufort, preparing a cookout of leftovers for his fellow guardsmen. He brought the recipe home to the community of Frogmore with him, putting out copies at his seafood market and selling all the necessary ingredients.
Frogmore is a small community located in the heart of St. Helena Island. While many variations of this dish exist, the name "Frogmore Stew" was coined by Richard Gay, one of the founders of Gay Fish Company, around 1948. The dish gained significant recognition when it was featured on the cover of Gourmet Magazine in the 1980s, and it continues to be enjoyed under this name today. In 2005, The Travel Channel highlighted Frogmore Stew on its show Taste of America with Mark DeCarlo, featuring Richard’s brother, Charles Gay, preparing the dish.
More Than Just Seafood
In addition to our fresh and pre-packaged seafood, we carry a variety of Southern favorites:
- Frogmore Stew Ingredients (corn, sausage, shrimp, potatoes)
- Condiments, Dry Spices, Grits, Hot Sauce, and Pickled Asparagus
- Locally Made Key Lime Pie—a top seller!
Save 10% Off for Life
Are you looking to save money on our fresh seafood? Purchase one of our thermal totes for just $10, and enjoy 10% off for life every time you bring it back.
Join Us in Protecting Our Marshes
We are excited to say we are now a part of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Palmetto Pride program and have our very own monofilament recycling bin!!!! So, if you are out of your way fishing and have used the line, feel free to stop by and use our bin. If you are unfamiliar with the program, check out the link below. Together, we can all make a difference and protect our beautiful marshes.
WE ARE CERTIFIED SOUTH CAROLINA GROWN
WE ARE A GOOD CATCH PARTNER WITH SC AQUARIUM
WE ARE A MONOFILAMENT FISHING LINE RECYCLING CENTER
READ MORE ABOUT US
Tourchbearer Award for Economic Impact
2024 Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce Civitas Award
Seafood Stock Pot Rentals Available
Need to rent stock pots for your seafood boil? We offer 3-day rentals for all your equipment needs. Whether you're a local or just visiting St. Helena Island, our stock pots are perfect for preparing large meals like Frogmore Stew or seafood boil. If you’re staying at one of the nearby resorts, campgrounds, or vacation homes, renting a stock pot from Gay Fish Company makes it easy to enjoy a traditional Lowcountry boil. Drop off the pot when you're done, and we’ll take care of the rest! We offer 8-quart, 12-quart, and 20-quart pots. You’ve got the heat; we have all the snow crab legs, Frogmore stew fixings, and the pot!
Need Over 5,000 Pounds of Shrimp?
Even if you’ve only seen Forrest Gump once, you’ll remember that “life is like a box of chocolates.” This same saying applies to Gay Fish Company on St. Helena Island, SC, where a filing cabinet recently revealed 30-year-old receipts showing shrimp sales to Paramount Pictures for the movie. The discovery came up in a conversation between co-owner Charles Gay and his daughter Cyndy Carr, recalling the filming of Forrest Gump in 1993. The island stood in for southern Alabama, and Gay Fish Company supplied nearly 5,000 pounds of shrimp for the iconic scene where Gump and Lieutenant Dan haul in a massive shrimp catch.
Charles recalls that Tom Hanks often passed through their dock, noting how kind he was. The initial shrimp order totaled 4,984 pounds, followed by another 1,141 pounds a week later, all for a scene involving about 600 pounds of shrimp on deck. Today, the receipts are proudly displayed here, where locals and tourists can view them while visiting our family-run business, which has been operating for over 75 years.
What Our Clients Say About Our Seafood Market
Contact Us
CONTACT INFORMATION
Phone: (843) 838-2763
Email: gayfishco@yahoo.com
Address: 1948 Sea Island Pkwy., St. Helena Island, South Carolina, 29920-4811
BUSINESS HOURS
Mon - Sat 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday Closed
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