Teen continues Dorchester seafood heritage, celebrates one year of retail

CAMBRIDGE — The rain held for off long enough Thursday afternoon beside Cambridge Creek, allowing attendees of the Choptank River Crab & Oyster Co. ribbon-cutting event to mingle, eat fresh seafood and celebrate 19-year-old Mason Little's wholesale and retail business.

Hosted by the Dorchester Chamber of Commerce, the ribbon-cutting event recognized the one-year anniversary of Little's retail venture.

Although he is young, Little isn't new to the seafood biz. He said he's been wholesaling for the past three years. He started in high school.

"I had one of my buddies come and buy crabs," he said in an interview. "And then after I got off school at 12 — I had work release — I'd come down here, and I'd run the truck at night. And that's how that started."

In some ways, it's something of a no-brainer that Little started the retail aspect of Choptank River Crab & Oyster Co. It's in his blood.

Little's grandfather, David Nickerson, owned Kool Ice and Seafood for five decades. Nickerson sold the business right before Little graduated high school.

"It's the only thing I really know," Little said about the business. "And so we started this."

Nickerson has been a mentor for his grandson.

"He's taught me everything I know, and I wouldn't be able to do it without him, that's for sure," Little said.

At the event on Thursday, attendees gathered outside the shop to congratulate Little and enjoy the blue catfish, shrimp and, later on, cake that was offered.

"That catfish is delicious," said state Sen. Johnny Mautz (R-Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot, Wicomico) before wishing Little the best of luck.

Del. Tom Hutchinson (R-Dorchester, Talbot, Wicomico) said that every time he has come in to Choptank River Crab & Oyster Co., he has gotten the best service and some of the best seafood.

"You can't ask for a better place to come directly from boats to market," Hutchinson said. "You guys are doing a great job."

Located right on the water, watermen can deliver seafood directly to the establishment.

"You really can't get it any fresher," Little said. "You can see the crabs come in that you're about to eat. Coming right in off the boat. They're not being hauled in a pickup truck and sitting out in the heat. It's right to you."

Little said business has been good.

"People are starting to find out about us more and more," he said. "So it's definitely picked up."

During the ribbon-cutting, Dorchester County Council President Lenny Pfeffer said he's known Little since Little was a kid.

"I'm so honored to be here today to see the man you've become, sir, and the business that you've brought here into Cambridge," he said.

County Council member Ricky Travers remarked on Little's journey with the business.

"To take a dilapidated building like that and take a young man like you to start a business like this, it's not easy, but you've already found that out," Travers said. "And I take my hat off to you."

Even though he has reached a significant milestone, Little is keeping his sights on the future.

"It's kind of one of those things where I won't really be satisfied until I've hit five or 10 (years)," he said. "I'm always thinking about the next couple steps."