Just about a year ago, business partners and siblings Ray and Jay Quttum became the new owners of Carter's Fish Market. The two brothers, who are in their 20s, are natives of Madison, Wisconsin. They migrated to the Springfield area to join extended family after spending time working in restaurants and convenience stores in northern Illinois.
The Quttums consider former owner Clint Carter to be like a "silent partner," as he has passed down the house-specialty breading recipe, which made Carter's a local tradition for more than 40 years.
Offering quality and quantity is what makes Carter's unique. Jay Quttum said, "The food is made from scratch with special breading that's flavorful, not just salty, and we serve generous portions. For $10 you can pretty much fill yourself up." With the meals cooked to order, customers can request lower salt or lighter batter or breading. "We can guarantee the food is fresh, cooked within minutes of being ordered by phone or through the online Door Dash app," he said.
"What has changed is that we freshened up, added some new equipment and have a larger selection of fish and frozen items for sale in our shop, including buffalo, whole catfish, perch, shrimp, lobster, snow crabs, crawfish, hush puppies and corn fritters," Jay said.
Carter's is well-known, with its loyal customer base stretching to Peoria, Champaign and Decatur. "To keep our reputation, I like to see customer satisfaction. It's not just about the money. We want to see them happy," he said.
