ROCHESTER, N.Y. —  The inspiring journey of one man's transformation and his commitment to shaping a brighter future for the next generation. Kenneth Rivers Jr., the owner of Hooked Fish Market in Rochester, went from having no interest in the restaurant business to being fully hooked. 

What You Need To Know

  • Kenneth Rivers' journey from a troubled past to becoming the successful owner of Hooked Fish Market. 

  • Kenneth's innovative approach, inspired by shows like "Bar Rescue," led to the successful establishment of Hooked Fish Market in 2022. 

  • He recognizes the importance of giving back and serves as a mentor to the next generation, offering job opportunities and guidance to steer them away from the pitfalls he encountered.

"I got the idea of the remodeling information from John Taffer watching Bar Rescue, so I said, if I could just take his techniques, use it into this space, then it could be successful," Rivers Jr. added. 

The fish market has been running successfully since it started in 2022, but it took Kenneth a long road to get here. Faced with a challenging upbringing on Berlin Street and Hudson Avenue, a Rochester neighborhood, he resorted to selling drugs to afford the things he desired as a child, ultimately leading to multiple prison sentences.

"Went from school to selling drugs and ended up going to prison. I took a couple of programs and inside of the programs, I learned and understood that I needed to make a real serious change for me and my kids," Rivers Jr. explained. 

A change from the streets and into entrepreneurship serving the community fresh food. 

"We set out to have a good home-cooked meal, something that's going to be different from any other fish market. We have fresh fish every day," Rivers Jr. said.

A meeting with his former lawyer helped shape his new path, connecting him with a friend who supplies Wegmans grocery store with their fish.  

Now, Kenneth is extending a helping hand to the next generation, urging them not to repeat his past mistakes by providing job opportunities. 

"My dad has been in jail for a long time, so he's made me feel like I like another father figure behind me, somebody I could lean on if I needed to," said Michael Cathey, an employee at Hooked Fish Market.  

"I could be a mentor to the kids in the neighborhood to let them know that it is a different way and this is how you go about doing it," Rivers Jr. added. 

He also credits his success to his mother. 

"I want to give a shoutout to my mom, I love you, Mom," Rivers Jr. expressed. 

Kenneth said that every night when the market closes he gives out the leftover food to those in need instead of throwing it away. He also wants to continue to help those who just simply need a helping hand.