Brothers James and Josh McMullen have filled the shelves of the former Mastry's Bait and Tackle shop in Old Southeast with fresh wild-caught fish - breathing new life into the shuttered St. Pete staple. 

"As kids, my brother and I would walk 12 blocks from our home to get to the bait shop," said James referring to the 1945 storefront at 1700 4th Street South that now sports the name McMullen Fish House. 

James, a military veteran, and Josh, who has a background in construction, inked a lease for the 1,658-square-foot space late last year. 

"As soon as we saw it was for lease, we took a chance on it," James said while giving St. Pete Rising a tour of the property and a glimpse of his vision. 

The property is owned by St. Petersburg Hollander Hotel owner Michael Andoniades.

"We’ve been sprucing up the old Mastry’s with a little elbow grease and a lot of love. Stepping into a new chapter while honoring the past," James said.

They plan to add a waterfront bar, a food truck, and a kayak and small boat dock along the Salt Creek estuary bordering the property.

Although James and Josh are at the helm of the business, it's a full-fledged family affair with their mother and children manning the registers and bait stations. Jeff Mastry, a cousin of the former owners, is also a current employee.

Salmon, mullet, sheepshead, red grouper, and yellowtail snapper fill the icy coolers.

Pantry items such as beer batter, cocktail sauce, and Old Bay seasoning line the shelves next to a fridge stocked with kale, romaine lettuce, cauliflower, celery, mushrooms, and other produce. 

"The city wants the community to have more access to produce," James said about the market.

Inspired by their family ties in the New England region, the McMullens are marrying the iconic northern dishes with Southern-style seafood through a new food truck that will permanently reside on the property.

James said the food truck - dubbed The 4th Street Hooker - will offer everything from clam chowder and scallops to hush puppies and fried fish. 

The family is working to secure permits and renovate the truck to resemble an old St. Pete trolley. Trolleys were first introduced in St. Pete in 1905, linking the city and Gulfport, before the city started replacing the trolleys with buses in 1947.  

"We hope to receive a full liquor license. We also know it rains a lot in Florida, so we are building a 30-seat indoor eating area," James said.

In the rear of the fish market, a long wooden bar wraps around the room. Under the epoxied table are photographs of Tarpon fisherman Larry Mastry and Mike Mastry, Larry's father, who founded the original Mastry's business in 1975, longtime customers, local fishermen, and family members of the McMullen clan. 

The McMullens haven’t nailed down a firm opening date for the bar and food truck, but the market is currently open to the public, operating Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

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