photograph by Travis Long

“We’re going down and getting fish off the boat – and before I even get back from the coast, most of it’s been sold.” – Lin Peterson, left, and Ryan Speckman, right, owners and founders, Locals Seafood

When N.C. State alum Ryan Speckman, 36, ended up back in Raleigh after living on the Outer Banks, he noticed that “the stuff I know my buddies are catching at the coast” was hard to find in Triangle restaurants and grocery stores. So four years ago, he and fellow Wolfpack alum Lin Peterson, 34, started driving to the coast on early weekend mornings to buy fresh seafood, head back to the Triangle, and sell it out of their pickup truck that same day. The business took off, they quit their day jobs, and now Locals Seafood supplies top restaurants like Poole’s Diner, Bida Manda, and Mandolin. Civilians can buy the duo’s seafood, too. Look for Locals at area farmers’ markets, including the Raleigh State Farmers Market every Thursday through Sunday. Dedicated seafood lovers can also join Locals’ Community Supported Fishery to receive fresh catches every week. “It’s all about the seasonality of seafood,” Peterson says. “You might find mahi mahi, tuna, or flounder in the store, but we’re turning people onto tile fish, black drum, red drum – all sorts of different things.”

Locals Seafood is available at a handful of local farmers’ markets throughout the Triangle. For the full lineup, visit localsseafood.com.