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WBM july 2020
Marlene was a Southern lady who wore her
best Sunday dress and white gloves to the
airline interview, and became the Fish Lady.
“LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE,” she says.
Anyone who’s been around the
greater Wilmington area for a while
surely knows that Hieronymus is
synonymous with seafood. They’ve heard tales
of the famous Hieronymus Brothers — Glenn,
George, Harvey and Cordy — who taught
themselves how to be commercial fishermen.
What they might not know is the woman
behind the scenes. Glenn’s wife was right
there with them, handlining fish, figuring
out the best way to land a coveted catch,
and becoming chief cook and bottle washer
for their Hieronymus Brothers Restaurant.
It’s not quite where she thought she’d
end up. She dreamed of being a lawyer,
but instead became a fisherman. She was
a Southern lady who wore her best Sunday
dress and white gloves to the airline inter-view,
and became the Fish Lady.
“Seafood was a whole new ballgame for
me,” she says.” We were definitely pioneers.
You just did it. You want your business to
be successful, so you just get in there and
do it.”
The business proved to be incredibly
successful. Their fish market supplied a
fresh catch to many, and the restaurant
became a destination eatery for fresh,
flavorful seafood. Not bad, considering
there really wasn’t a business plan. In
fact, the name Hieronymus might have
remained anonymous if it hadn’t been for
expensive dock fees.
Marlene Hieronymus, posing on the steps
of a Boeing 737, was a flight attendant for
Piedmont Airlines from 1968-72. A red
pickup was one of the Hieronymus Brothers’
few assets when they started their seafood
business in 1972.