Debbie’s Seafood up for sale as Debbie Ahern looks to retire

After a quarter-century of Christmas lunches and fish and chips, Debbie Ahern is gearing up to put the legacy of an iconic family-owned business into somebody else’s hands.

After more than two decades running Debbie’s Seafood, Debbie Ahern and her family are selling their popular business and cafe. Photo: Zoe Devenport

Mackay is nearing the end of an era as founders of beloved fish and chip Debbie’s Seafood have put the business on the market.

The eponymous Debbie Ahern said she would “cry and cry” when the sale went through, but felt she and husband Mark had earned their retirement.

Their popular Slade Point retail store and cafe began as a “little roadside van” in the 1990s, yet Ms Ahern hopes the next owners will continue their dedication to fresh, local seafood.

“It’s an icon, it is,” Ms Ahern said.

“It’s been around for so long and, when people say I’m going to Debbie’s, they don’t have to say Debbie’s Seafood.

“People just recognise it instantly.

After more than two decades running Debbie’s Seafood, Debbie Ahern and her family are selling their popular business and cafe. Photo: Zoe Devenport

“We get people from NSW or wherever calling in (saying) ‘my friend said I’ve got to go to Debbie’s in Mackay’, (so) we get a lot of tourists come through.”

Part of that popular success won Debbie’s Seafood a National Seafood Industry Business award in September 2022, which Ms Ahern said was “surreal”.

“It’s a huge achievement and was such a highlight of my whole life, actually.”

Apart from the accolades. Ms Ahern’s best memories of the business centred around the time spent with her family and longtime employees.

“Just working with family … my dad’s now passed and he and mum used to come and work with us,” Ms Ahern said.

“That’s what we will miss, (some of) the staff have been with me for over 20 years.

Long-term employees of Debbie’s Seafood Tim Harvey, Kyla Jane, Beth Moore, Hermie Nolan and Harmer Kaur with Debbie Ahern (centre-left). Photo: Zoe Devenport

“Working with Natalie and Craig, working with my husband are precious times.

“We’ve had some great Christmas parties, all dancing around in the cafe.”

The business began with selling her fisherman husband Mark’s catch in the 1990s, working the nets herself for a time.

But as their daughter Natalie grew up Ms Ahern was called back to land and soon bought a food truck to continue developing the business.

Over the years one truck grew into a fleet of six, which travelled from Moranbah to Sarina to Northern Beaches flogging fish to happy customers.

Debbie's Seafood‘s Sharon Peterson, Debbie Ahern, Natalie Fitzgerald and Craig Fitzgerald. Photo: Contributed

In 2006 they leased a Slade Point property on David Muir St for a processing and retail shop, but Debbie’s Seafood continued growing in popularity as time went on.

Just over a decade later in 2017, they bought and purpose-built their current facility a few doors down to include processing, retail, and a cafe.

Despite the prolific growth, Debbie’s has remained a family business with Natalie becoming business manager, her husband Craig Fitzgerald as general manager, and Mark still reeling in the fish.

“We started from scratch, from nothing, and built this business up to 26 staff at the moment”, Ms Ahern said.

“You jump in and you do the hard yards (working) 14, 16 hours a day for many years building our business.

“We really built up a really good clientele.

Debbie Ahern with daughter Natalie Fitzgerald, business manager and son-in-law Craig Fitzgerald outside Debbie’s Seafood. Photo: Zoe Devenport

“Since then we’ve found people want to come to the shop for the experience, so the vans were dropping off.”

Two Debbie’s Seafood vans that still take stock out to Moranbah, Sarina and Racecourse will be part of the future sale.

While keen for retirement, Ms Ahern said it would be an emotional farewell to her business and many have agreed with her

Ninety comments on the Debbie’s Seafood Facebook post announcing the sale wished her a happy retirement, good luck and well wishes for “the best fish and chips in town”.

Despite the exciting plans for travel and relaxation, Ms Ahern said it would be “business as usual” until a buyer steps up and the transition process begins.

Yet whoever buys the business, Ms Ahern was certain Debbie’s Seafood would continue as a Mackay icon for years to come.