LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A Lexington institution is beginning a new chapter. Charlie's Seafood has been serving fish sandwiches at Winchester and Liberty Road since 1981. A lot of the employees there have been part of the crew for decades. This week, there's a big change behind the scenes.
Patty Sissle has owned Charlie's Seafood with her husband Barry since 2003. Over the years, they've seen generations of regulars.
"If they don't come in for a while, you actually miss them and you want to know where they are, if something's wrong, did we do something wrong," she said.
The workers are long-timers, too. Amie Crimm's been here eight years and Jamie Shepherd's been here for 22. Change is pretty rare around here, but this week, there's a big one.
"This, I guess, is the sad part. My husband's sick and I need to go part-time, basically, really, so that I can spend more time with him," Sissle said.
That meant Sissle had to find new owners. Thankfully, she didn't have to look far. Crimm and Shepherd will carry on the legacy.
"Charlie and Charlene started as a family. Barry and I started as a family. Now, you've got Amie and Jamie starting as a family. It just makes it a good thing," Sissle said.
Crimm said the responsibility of that legacy is a little daunting, but Sissle will stay on part-time. Their goal is to keep making those sandwiches that keep customers lining up just the same as always.
