Several Holyoke neighborhoods were dotted with fish-and-chips take-out restaurants during the 20th century. One of the more popular spots was New England Fish and Chips, located at 530 High Street.
The story of New England Fish & Chips began around the end of World War II, when James M. and Peggy Keighley opened near the southeast corner of High and Cabot Streets.
Fish and Chips shops were usually part-time ventures that operated on Fridays and, at times, Wednesdays. James Keighley was a member of the Holyoke Fire Department. Certain religious groups adhered to fasting from meat on Fridays, so fish became an alternative, often a routine for many families.
The Keighleys were shown as operating the business through 1964 in the Holyoke City Directories. In 1967, the church's ban on abstaining from meat on Fridays was lifted. Fish and Chips markets were adversely impacted, and some closed. For those who continued, menus expanded to include other fish products such as clams, scallops, shrimp, lobster rolls, clam chowder, fish cakes, and onion rings.
It was sometime between 1967 and 1981 that the shop was transferred to Edward McNulty, who continued to run the business into the early 2000s. The shop continued under new ownership, including the Safeers and Cardonas, before permanently closing around 2017.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican; publication dates and pages are shown.
Assessors' Office, Holyoke, Massachusetts
Price and Lee, Holyoke (Massachusetts) City Directories.
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