The Shrimp Dock Of Sevierville VIRTUAL TOUR (865) 774-8028

THE SHRIMP DOCK OF SEVIERVILLE TN

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CLOSED AS OF 12/2001
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ShrimpDock Sevierville
The Shrimp Dock Sevierville TN
(Photo Last Updated Wednesday - May 13th, 2009)
FRESH SEAFOOD RESTAURANT NOW OPEN!!!
FRESH SEAFOOD MARKET NOW OPEN!!!
Oyster Bar Opens September, 2009
RESTAURANT FULL MENU AT BOTTOM OF PAGE

Requires a Java Enabled Browser.	To 'Peek Inside' The FRESH SEAFOOD RESTAURANT Click HERE Click Here For Some Photos Of Good Things to Come! More Peek Inside Photos ASAP	SCROLL DOWN FOR RESTAURANT MENU To 'Peek Inside' The FRESH SEAFOOD MARKET Click HERE
Fresh Seafood Comes Back To Sevierville!
In 1995, Paul Willis sold fresh shrimp out of his truck at Flea Traders- Flea Market on Highway 66 in Sevierville. Now almost 15 years later he has returned. Raised on the bayous of Louisiana, at the age of 15 Paul started fishing with a cane pole. His family lived in a school bus his father made into a camper while he built their home. Located in Venetian Isles in the Bayou Savage Wildlife area, the bayous and lakes were plentiful with seafood. Paul remembers one night, it was hot , mosquitoes buzzing with heavy humidity in the air. We had fans in the bus, no a/c. I looked out the window to a small dock my Dad and I built. It had a light on it reflecting on the water. I noticed a popping on the water and went to see what was going on. To my amazement large sea trout were feeding on shrimp as they passed through the light. I knew I could sell the fish to a local fish market, so with cane pole in hand, I started fishing. Paul was hooked on fishing. At that point the decided he would not be a contractor like his father, but become a commercial fisherman. Two years later after graduating high school he would go to sea on the Admiral a 42' fishing boat he purchased with the money he made fishing on the bayous in his back yard. At 19 with both shrimping and fish boats operating he decided to open his first seafood market. I came home one day from a fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico to find the price of shrimp had dropped, Capt. Paul said. I told my wife we need to sell our catch out of town to get a better price than the docks paid. I opened an atlas and after viewing states I decided to go to Denver, CO. I had never seen the Rocky Mountains and thought what a great place to visit. After spending a week in Denver, Paul found a market to buy and opened his first seafood market, Seafood Unlimited. Over the next 15 years he would open numerous seafood markets and a wholesale and processing plant to supply the local and ski area restraints. At it's peak in sales Paul was made an offer for the business and sold to Rubienstien Foods out of Dallas, Texas. His passion, still to be on the bayous and lakes of Louisiana, he resettled in Louisiana. This time he would not only be involved in the commercial fishing industry but would try his hand in the legislature part of the industry. After loosing a bill he and his wife, Eletha, helped write to protect the rights of commercial fisherman. They at the recommendation of a neighbor came to Gatlinburg for a 2 week vacation. We needed to get away, Capt. Paul said, loosing the fishing rights meant we needed to change the way we fished and lived. After spending a couple of weeks in the Smokey Mountains, his wife fell in love with the area. After returning to Louisiana in just 3 days Paul decided he would move to the area and sell fresh seafood out of his truck. We lived in Kodak and I had seen the Flea market on Hwy.66 and decided to set up there. I noticed more locals were buying not tourist. From that location he moved his truck around the area in Sevier, Knox, and Blount Counties. In 1996 he found a small building on Alcoa Hwy. With lease in hand he opened his first Shrimp Dock seafood market after returning from "Mardi Gras". You have to put things in perspective, Capt. Paul said. Mardi Gras is a way of life for a New Orleans boy. It's not an option, weather to go or not. You Go! After 6 years at that location, the state would purchase the property for the Alcoa Hwy. Expansion. My wife and I started looking for a new location. We needed a location where we could keep the majority of our clientele he said. In the summer of 2002, Capt. Paul and his wife leased with an option to buy, a property located in Bearden where their new Shrimp Dock would be placed. After a quick remodel job and placement of new equipment the doors would open. We were packed Capt. Paul said. Customers poured in to purchase our Fresh seafood from all three coast. in the back door and out the front. The Shrimp Dock would then take it's next step. Andre Hinz would purchase the wrights to use the name and open a store in Halls. Then the Feb 4, Corp would purchase the wrights to a store in Farragut. These stores are independently owned and operated with the help of Capt. Paul and his Bearden Crew. After looking for a location in the Sevier area for Walt Brown the next in line to purchase a Shrimp Dock, CNB bank notified Capt. Paul of a property they had for sale. Pop's on the River. I knew of the restaurant, had even had dinner there and became friends with the owners, Paul said. When I was approached by the bank I knew it was where the next Shrimp Dock would be. I called Walt and told him we had our location. However the place is huge, over 6,200 sq. ft. Much too large to be a Shrimp Dock Seafood market alone. So Paul and Walt became partners and the concept, a new one for the area. A Fresh Seafood market, New Orleans style restaurant, and Oyster Bar all under one roof will be opened soon. The retail market will open around May 1st, 2009. The restaurant to follow June 1st, 2009 and the Oyster Bar Sept. 1st, 2009. This area has built-up so much since we moved here 13 years ago, Capt. Paul said. With the quality and variety of seafood we carry and our trained and friendly staff I am sure this Shrimp Dock will do quite well. Paul, owns docks in both Georgia and Louisiana, and has boats that he owns and buys from in both locations. Our Shrimp are Wild caught. Not farmed or imported from over seas. Our fish is fresh never frozen. That's the difference. Our trademark is "Taste the Difference". With the use of Planes, trucks, UPS and a network of seafood distributors from the East Coast to the Gulf and even the Northwest pacific. The Shrimp Dock seafood market will carry as many as 70 fresh items on any given day. American seafood, caught by Americans for Americans. That's the key to our success, Capt. Paul says.

Dining In The Smokies .com

THE SHRIMP DOCK OF SEVIERVILLE TN

(Compiled by DiscoverTheSmokies.com. Not Affiliated With The Shrimp Dock Of Sevierville Whatsoever ) (For Travel Planning Use Only, ALL Data subject to change without notice)

(Compiled by DiscoverTheSmokies.com. Not Affiliated With The Shrimp Dock Of Sevierville Whatsoever )
(For Travel Planning Use Only, ALL Data subject to change without notice)