Big Fish, Rosenfeld’s team up for market at McCabe’s

Big Fish Restaurant Group and Rosenfeld’s Jewish Deli are combining forces to open a new venture in South Bethany at McCabe’s Gourmet Market.

Rosenfeld’s announced the new market on its Facebook page Nov. 30. In an interview Dec. 3, Rosenfeld’s owner Warren Rosenfeld said he was contacted by a realtor representing the owners of McCabe’s a little more than a month ago. He said he was told the owners wanted to hold onto the property, but were no longer interested in operating the market.

“Everything in the store we would use,” said Rosenfeld. “With all the deli cases and equipment, it’s a space that should easily transition into what we are looking to do with it.”

Richard and Rebecca Mais opened McCabe’s Gourmet Market in 1986.

Rosenfeld, a former lawyer from Washington, D.C., opened the first Rosenfeld’s in Ocean City in 2013. Four years later, in April 2017, the Rehoboth location opened on Route 1 near the Route 24 intersection.

Brothers Norm and Eric Sugrue opened Big Fish Grill in Rehoboth Beach in 1997. Soon afterward, Big Fish Restaurant Group was formed. The company now has nearly two dozen entities under that umbrella across the state, including Salt Air, Stingray, Summer House, Crab House, Obie’s By the Sea and Sazio locally.

The relationship between Big Fish and Rosenfeld’s began over a year ago. Rosenfeld was looking to expand the deli’s brand. Eric Sugrue, Big Fish Restaurant Group president and managing partner, was looking for an opportunity to franchise a dining concept. Restaurateurs often run in the same circles, and the paths of the two men crossed, which eventually led to the creation of Rosenfeld’s Expansion Partners LLC. The first Rosenfeld’s Delicatessen, the rebranded name, opened in Wilmington seven weeks ago.

Sugrue said he liked the idea of the combined market immediately. It’s an untapped area and McCabe’s does a hell of a business, he said.

“Our goal is to respect the legacy of McCabe’s, while also offering the best of Big Fish and Rosenfeld’s,” said Sugrue. “We think it’s going to be a unique concept.”

Rosenfeld said he could tell Sugrue was excited about the idea. “We’re just excited about the whole thing,” he said, equally enthused.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, both Rosenfeld and Sugrue are confident the new concept can work.

The Big Fish market – with its fresh foods, carryout and prepared platters – has been doing well, said Sugrue, attributing its success to, among other things, an increase in preparing meals at home. Rosenfeld’s brings the same high quality to the partnership, but with its own offerings, he said.

Rosenfeld said in addition to offering high-quality foods, there are limited grocery options for people in the South Bethany area. People need a place to buy breads, meats, cheeses, salads and other prepared items, he said.

Rosenfeld said once this market is open, he hopes the concept can be duplicated in other areas. A company has to be able to survive through this winter, but there are going to be opportunities for aggressive business people to expand, because there are going to be restaurant-ready spaces available, he said, pointing out one result of the pandemic. 

The Rosenfeld’s/Big Fish partnership will officially take over the marketplace space in January. The expected opening date for the new market is Memorial Day 2021.