Montrose Smoked Fish factory circa 1980’s

Bad boy history…

Montrose Smoked Fish has a "bad boy" reputation as part of its history. It's a real Brooklyn Jewish Soprano story. It is made the front page of newspapers several times and has multiple dubious newspaper articles.

In 1935, the Department of Agriculture filed a lawsuit claiming the olive oil being sold was mostly cottonseed oil. In 1944, they were indicted with many other smoked fish firms for price-fixing. In 1950, a major fire that made the front page was “blamed on burglars”.

From the 1930s to the 1980s it's had one bad boy run. See Daily News article 1981 "Rat Army has them on the run"

  • Unable to remember even his own handwriting...(while under oath in court)... and pay the fine of $100..." Fledgling Korchin and later Montrose Smoked Fish had to defend against bogus Trade Organization racketeering.

  • In 1935 the department of agriculture made claim and initiated a lawsuit that the so-called olive oil was in fact cottonseed oil.

  • There has been on and off claims of smoked fish being dyed because in the process of smoking fish you lose 15% of the weight. This speaks towards our time- food shrinkage.

  • Circa 1930's

  • Montrose Smoked Fish current

  • In 1944, they were indicted with many other smoked fish firms for price-fixing.

  • 1945 Montrose Smoked Fish officers, convicted a second time going to Jail

  • In September 1950, a major fire occurred, again making the front page of the newspapers. The article is alleging that it was somehow started by "Burglars". Not that it happened in this instance, but it was an old school Brooklyn practice whereby you gave the Fire Chief and various City inspectors giant platters of smoke fish towards building a convenient ongoing relationship. Of course they would sign off that the fire was started by "Burglars". Everybody is happy and the insurance papers filed are pretty straightforward. The suggestion is not to attend criminality or create a fishy story but more to give the flavor how matters were done in Brooklyn.

  • 1955 Southern District of NY legal Doc. "Final Judgement" This is separate from the prior charges & Newspaper articles

  • Daily News 1981, at the time the predominant neighborhood was Hispanic and many of them were complaining of being overrun by rats coming from the Montrose Smoked Fish...

  • Montrose Smoked Fish Current with permanent plantings on the facade

  • 1962 Help Wanted Section red circled Montrose ad for a bookkeeper. See following enlargement see story

  • What is hard to depict is how the women's job section is 1/4 of the available men's jobs. Note the IBM ad "For qualified men..."

  • Found hiding in the former factory is a Stainless Steel mesh Glove