[1][2] It was established in the late 19th century in the city's working waterfront, and is still doing business out of its original home at 9 Custom House Wharf,[3][4] which was owned by the same family between circa 1807 and 2022.

[5] In the 1990s, their store frontage appeared in photographs so often that the family trademarked the image.

[7] As the business continued to grow, a larger processing plant was opened on Commercial Street.

[7] When fishing restrictions were introduced in the late 1980s, Harbor Fish closed its processing plant and moved it back to its newly expanded Custom House Wharf location.

[8][9] Julia Child, Billy Joel and Mainer native Patrick Dempsey have all visited the store.