Founded in the "glory" days |
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By the late 1800's, oyster cultivating was a way of life on Long Island. At the time, Connecticut was the eighth ranking producer of oysters out of the 20 coastal states harvesting the bivalves, with 86,000 acres of beds under cultivation; Norwalk was the acknowledged oyster capital of the nation. Innovations of the early Norwalk oystermen were many, among them: a highly maneuverable shallow-draft sailing craft called a "sharpie," capable of working beds covered by a mere one or two feet of water. In 1874 Captain Peter Decker was the first to convert from sail to steam. His newly powered boat, rechristened Earlybird, trebled a day's haul. Six years later, Norwalk had the largest fleet of steam-powered oyster boats in the world. But the days of unlimited oyster harvests could not last. By the start of the 20th century, over fishing pushed the industry into a slowly steeping decline that nearly proved fatal.
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The Bloom brothers: Hillard and Norman |
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The year is 1947. Enter two brothers-- fraternal twins-- Hillard and Norman Bloom, who grew up on the water and were bound by strong family ties to Norwalk's oystering tradition. After graduating from high school, the young men went to work, as Bloom Brothers Seafood, catching and freighting oysters for the Lovejoy Oyster Company. Under sail, they also worked the natural beds for the Bell and Fordham Oyster Companies and saved to buy their own boat. Captain Lovejoy, a friend and mentor, effectively launched the brothers when he helped them finance their first oyster boat and laid the groundwork for their eventual acquisition of his own company.
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In 1957, Edison Morton of Tallmadge Brothers, Inc. asked Hill and Norm to "come across the harbor" and help run the company. They did, but it wasn't the best of times. Storms and hurricanes in the early 1950's destroyed setting beds; then, beginning in 1957, came successive years of disastrous sets. Hill and Norm managed the Tallmadge Brothers grounds, but with the oysters nearly gone, they also went clamming. Clams were abundant in the bays and estuaries of Norwalk and Greenwich, and clam harvesting kept Bloom Brothers Seafood afloat while other oyster companies, cash starved, went up for sale. When Ed Morton retired in 1967, Hill and Norm bought the Tallmadge operation and 5 years later, in 1972, adopted the Tallmadge Brothers name. The beginning of a long comeback for Long Island Sound oystering had begun. The story of how Hillard and Norman Bloom succeeded as oystermen is the story of the survival and rebirth of the Long Island Sound oyster fishery-- an American dream fulfilled. How did they do it? With long hours of devoted work, tough-minded reinvestment in the business and an earned reputation for keeping their distributors supplied through think and thin. Above all, their success can be chalked up to their knowledge of oystering as they learned it from old timers like Captain Lovejoy, Ed Morton and many others. Working 12 to 15 hours a day, the two brothers plowed their earnings back into the business, buying oyster companies as they went up for sale, small ones first, then larger ones.
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In His Memory |
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In 2001, after the death of Hillard Bloom, the Bloom family is operating business under Hillard Bloom Shellfish, Inc. in his memory. Today Hillard Bloom Shellfish, Inc. is still run by the Bloom family and will be for many more generations to come. The Bloom Family has three generations of rich oystering tradition.
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The Norwalk Plant |
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Hillard Bloom Shellfish's plant in Norwalk, CT is a symbol of the city's oystering tradition. In exterior detail, the building is a replica of the 19th century Radel Oyster Company shucking house that stood near the new building's site. Completed in 1989, the 10,000-square foot steel frame structure houses the latest processing and refrigeration facilities as well as administrative offices.
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