ST. PETERSBURG, Fla - The story of Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish is a classic tale of a family business built from the ground up—or in this case, from a discarded smoker.

In the 1940s, Ted Peters and his family moved to Florida. He first opened a small restaurant called the Blue Anchor Inn, but in 1951, he found an old smoker in a local dump and decided to open a new spot on Pasadena Ave.

Ted had a clever idea: He put the smoker out front, and when he saw cars driving by, he would run out and open it up, allowing the delicious smell of smoked fish to lure in customers. This bold move was a hit, and the business has been a fixture on the corner ever since.

For decades, the restaurant has been a family affair. Ted’s nephew, Michael Lathrop, was "tricked" into a job that was only suppose

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