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Flotsam and Jetsam
The Smith Bros. family was as industrious with their brand image as they were with fish. This is a collection of billboards, flyers, matchbooks and anything else that would hold the image of the "Man with the fish".Body Art
You know your logo is "big" when people tattoo it to there body. Well, move over Harley Davidson!
Postcards
Here is a collection of Smith Bros. post cards.
(above) Circa 1940. A postcard of Smith Bros. Fish Shanty restaurant in Port Washington Wisconsin. This is the restaurant prior to the big fire in November of 1953 that totally destroyed this building. The back of the postcard reads "Famous for Fish Dinners. On Lake Michigan. This unique restaurant, located on highway 141, 25 north of Milwaukee and near Smith Bros. fish docks, reproduces the interior of a Great Lakes fisherman's shanty. Six artesian cooled dining rooms, with nautical furniture and the knotty pine walls, hung with relics of the sea, lend a distinctive marine atmosphere. The 'Fish Shanty' restaurant serves fish exclusively, banquets excepted. Each guest order is specially prepared from fish direct from Smith Bros. fishing fleet. During summer months cabin cruisers for deep sea trolling are available for charter. Free parking."
(above) Circa 1950. A postcard of Smith Bros. Fish Shanty restaurant in Port Washington Wisconsin. This is the restaurant prior to the big fire in November of 1953 that totally destroyed this building. The back of the postcard reads "Famous for Fish Dinners. This unique restaurant, located near Smith Bros. fish docks at Port Washington, is a reproduction of an interior of a Great Lakes fisherman's shanty. The plain wooden furniture and the knotty pine walls, hung with relics of the sea, lend a distinctive marine atmosphere. Smith Bros. 'Fish Shanty' restaurant serves fish exclusively. Because of their extensive production facilities, Smith Bros. have the distinction of being able to serve their guests with fish caught the same day."
(above) A postcard of Smith Bros. Fish Shanty restaurant in Port Washington Wisconsin. This is the restaurant prior to the big fire in November of 1953 that totally destroyed this building. The back of the postcard reads "Famous for Fish Dinners. On Lake Michigan. This unique restaurant, located on highway 141, 25 north of Milwaukee and near Smith Bros. fish docks, reproduces the interior of a Great Lakes fisherman's shanty. Six artesian cooled dining rooms, with nautical furniture and the knotty pine walls, hung with relics of the sea, lend a distinctive marine atmosphere. The 'Fish Shanty' restaurant serves fish exclusively, banquets excepted. Each guest order is specially prepared from fish direct from Smith Bros. fishing fleet. Free parking. The Fish Shanty is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. They also operate Smith Bros. Fish Shanty, Walteria and 4th at La Cienaga, Los Angeles Calif."
Comments by Daniel Smith
Smith Bros. furnished the postage for guests to send the post cards. Also, to boost the "artesian cooling" lawn sprinklers were used on the flat roof.
(above) Interior of the Smith Bros. Fish Shanty restaurant in Port Washington, Wisconsin. This is the back dining room (dining room D) that would have been closer to the lake side of the restaurant (and the Wisconsin Chair Factory). The November 17th 1953 fire that burned this restaurant to the ground most likely started right under the floor of this dining room by a faulty gas heater that was used to heat the room in the winter time.
(above) Exterior shot of the Smith Bros. Fish Shanty restaurant and Fish Market in Port Washington, Wisconsin. Complete with the mast, shrouds, and, of course, the Man with the Fish.
(above) Exterior view of the Smith Bros. Fish Shanty restaurant and Fish Market in Port Washington, Wisconsin. The inset in the upper left shows the Plank Room where fresh lake fish were baked on wood planks for an awesome meal. That is Henry (Hank) Blasing in the picture.
(above) Circa 1980. Interior/Exterior view of the Smith Bros. Fish Shanty restaurant and Fish Market in Port Washington, Wisconsin. The back of the postcard reads "Located at the harbor, with a commanding view of cool, blue, Lake Michigan. Nautically decorated, this restaurant has been the Midwest mecca for fish and seafood for 50 years, specializing in Buffet Lunches and Seafood Dinners. Shany Bar Cocktails. Hwy I-43 - 32, 25 miles North of Milwaukee. Open Daily 11:30 - 9:00 PM".
(above) Smith Bros. Fish Shanty Restaurant, U.S. 101 Alt., Walteria, California. This was called the Garden Room. Three miles south of Redondo Beach - nine miles west of Long Beach. This restaurant was open for business of December of 1947.
(above) Circa 1970. Smith Bros. Indian Village Restaurant. "An Adventure in Dining for the Entire Tribe". Located 3 miles Sound of Redondo Beach and 10 miles North of Long Beach at 4020 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, California. Open from 11:30 Daily. Phone 378-9363. Luncheon, Dinner, Firewater, Pow Wow Rooms and Unique Indian Gift Shop.
Miscellaneous
(above) Smith Bros. Fish Shanty Restaurant matchbook. On the left is the outside. Right is the inside.
Herring labels
(above) This is the printed "proof" of a label for pickled herring. This label was used by Smith Bros. during the 1920s through the 1940s. The herring would be packed in wood pails of 3, 5, and 10 pounds. The labels would be glued (using liquid glue) to the top of the tapered wooden pails. Note: No bar codes back then!
Brochures
It is always nice to have a it of something to read at the table while you are waiting for the next course at a restaurant. Smith Bros. led this form of "advertainment" with brochures.
Smith Family Secrets
A little history and some fish secrets with this "take-away" used in 1973 for the 125th anniversary of Great Lakes fishing by William and Gilbert Smith. It all started in 1848 - the same year Wisconsin became a state.
(above) Cover.
(above) inside left.
(above) inside right.
(above) back.
Photographs of the Smith Bros. Fish Shanty restaurant interior
Here are some photographs of the Smith Bros. Fish Shanty restaurant in Port Washington, Wisconsin. These were taken in 1988 - right about the time that the restaurant was sold to the DeRosa corporation of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
(above) 1988 photograph of the interior decor in the Smith Bros. Fish Shanty restaurant in Port Washington, Wisconsin. This one is was taken in the Shanty Bar.
(above) 1988 photograph of the interior decor in the Smith Bros. Fish Shanty restaurant in Port Washington, Wisconsin. Two dining booths with fish box lamps. The painting in the back is an original Robert von Neumann.
(above) 1988 photograph of the interior decor in the Smith Bros. Fish Shanty restaurant in Port Washington, Wisconsin.
1988 photograph of the interior decor in the Smith Bros. Fish Shanty restaurant in Port Washington, Wisconsin. Two dining booths with fish box lamps. The paintings on the wall are original Robert von Neumann's.
1988 photograph of the interior decor in the Smith Bros. Fish Shanty restaurant in Port Washington, Wisconsin. Here diners can have a commanding view of the Port Washington harbor with Lake Michigan beyond.
Smith Bros Billboard advertising
Smith Bros. advertised on billboards around the Port Washington area for many years. Lincoln D. Smith who arranged and paid for the billboards would take a photo of each for his records.
Here (above) is one of them that were posted on state highway 33 between Port Washington and Saukville, Wisconsin.
This billboard (above) was on Interstate 43 south of Port Washington, Wisconsin, near the state highway 32 exchange. The Best Western icon is a reference to the Harborside Motor Inn which was also run by the Smith Family.
