Wholey’s , officially known as Robert Wholey & Co. Inc., is a prominent

fish market A fish market is a marketplace for selling fish and fish products. It can be dedicated to wholesale trade between fishermen and fish merchants, or to the sale of seafood to individual consumers, or to both. Retail fish markets, a type of wet ma ...

and

grocery store A grocery store ( AE), grocery shop ( BE) or simply grocery is a store that primarily retails a general range of food products, which may be fresh or packaged. In everyday U.S. usage, however, "grocery store" is a synonym for supermarket, a ...

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

's historic Strip District neighborhood. In 2007, The

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the first newspaper published west of the All ...

wrote that they are a "household word in the region." The Strip District warehouse features a "signature fish-shaped sign." According to the ''Pittsburgh Catholic'' newspaper, "Of course, in Pittsburgh it wouldn’t be fish without Wholey’s," especially regarding the Catholic tradition regarding fish on Fridays. Robert Wholey & Co. operated wholesale, cold storage, and international divisions until a 2007 sale to a Michigan firm. Robert Wholey Co. continues to operate in the same Strip District retail location. In addition to the retail store, Wholey's also delivers fresh/frozen seafood and meat items across the United States. During the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals between the

Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...

and the

Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...

, Wholey's began checking the ID of any customers suspected of being from the midwest, as a means to prohibit the purchase of an octopus that could be thrown on the ice as part of Detroit superstition. In 2005, a 23-pound lobster was discovered for sale at Wholey's. He was nicknamed "Bubba." Robert Wholey decided to spare the lobster and sent him to the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, who had planned to transport him to a

Ripley's Believe It or Not! ''Ripley's Believe It or Not!'' is an American franchise founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims. Originally a newspaper panel, the ''Believe It or Not'' feat ...

aquarium. He died the next day. In 2012, Wholey's celebrated its 100th anniversary with a three–day celebration. Luke Wholey, a member of the Wholey family, opened a seafood restaurant called Wild Alaskan Grille.

Gallery

File:Wholeys fish sign.jpg, Wholey's famous fish sign File:Wholeys entrance.jpg, View of the entrance File:Wholeys pig parts.jpg, "Pig Parts" for sale at Wholey's File:Fish at Wholeys.jpg, Fish at Wholey's File:Bubba, the 22-lb. lobster (5476104).jpg, Bubba, the 22 pound lobster

References

Companies based in Pittsburgh Culture of Pittsburgh Fish markets 1912 establishments in Pennsylvania Retail companies established in 1912 {{pittsburgh-stub