North House Folk School announces new operators of Dockside Fish Market

The North House Folk School purchased the Dockside Fish Market building in December 2017. At that time, the community was concerned about the future of the market and the restaurant. The public hoped that the business started by Harley and Shele Toftey would continue. That was the case, with North House partnering with Morey’s Seafood Market.

Unfortunately, that partnership came to an end in November 2019, leaving Cook County residents wondering if Dockside would close for good.

Today, March 10, WTIP learned that is not the case. North House Folk School has found not one, but two local business-owning families, to take on the challenge of operating the fish market. The new operators of the fish market will be Abby Tofte and Sam Hedstrom, owners of The Big Lake, and Kate and Jeremy Keeble, owners of Hungry Hippie Hostel and Hungry Hippie Tacos.

The new operators will be working closely with North Superior Fisheries, the commercial fishing business also based in the Dockside building. That business is run by Tyler Smith, Zachary Smith, and Eric Brisson, members of longtime North Shore fishing families.

WTIP’s Rhonda Silence sat down with North House Folk School Director Greg Wright and the new business operators to learn more about how this partnership came about—and about a name change for the restaurant.