Tropic Fish & Vegetable Center has retailed seafood, poke, produce and other foods in Kaka'ako for more than half a century, but the longtime family-run fixture at Ward Farmers Market plans to close at the end of the month.

"It just made sense," said Shawn Tanoue, a third-generation executive in the business started in 1951 by his grandparents Kiyoshi and Katherine Tanoue.

Tanoue said factors that include lots of competition, an upcoming lease renewal and plans by the owner of Ward Centers to redevelop the property in three years led to the tough decision to close the market at the end of the day on March 31.

The company plans to continue and expand its wholesale business from warehouse space at Ward Centers. But ceasing the retail operation will tally another sad loss for many residents who have witnessed the gradual disappearance of old kama'aina family enterprises, from grocery stores to restaurants.

"They shouldn't be leaving," said Darryl Wong, a wastewater pump station operator from Makiki. "This is part of Hawai'i. It's disappearing here and there."

Frank Yamamoto, 75, a retired city employee who lives in Waikiki, has shopped at Tropic Fish & Vegetable for 40 years, primarily for Hawaiian foods and fresh fish. "I couldn't believe that a place like this is going to be closed," he said. "I'm really going to miss them."

Tropic Fish & Vegetable occupies roughly a third of the Ward Farmers Market building fronting Auahi Street, and was unusual in its merchandise lineup that mixed common produce items and local foods not found in typical supermarket chains.

The Tanoue family market stocked everyday items, from chips and beer to ice cream and soda. And the produce section was a full one. But it also occupied a niche in seafood and local favorites with items such as pickled ginger, whole tako, lu'au leaf, taro, haupia, moi, raw wasabi, tako poke, balls of limu kohu, bags of fresh ogo and salted duck eggs.

Shoppers also could order gift baskets for delivery from the company that grew from a small mom-and-pop produce market into a broader retail and wholesale business with 80 employees and gross annual sales of $20 million.

Tropic Fish & Vegetable is slowly running out of some of its usual merchandise that will not be restocked as part of winding down the business. The closing will result in the loss of 30 employees.

To thank retail customers, the company has displayed a large sign in the store that reads: "Mahalo for 56 years of patronage. Tropic Fish and Vegetable Center and the Tanoue Family sincerely appreciate all your support and aloha."

The impending loss of the market will significantly reduce the essence of what used to be more of a classic multi-tenant indoor fish and produce market of the sort common in Chinatown.

Roughly two-thirds of Ward Farmers Market was split between Tropic Fish & Vegetable and Marukai Market Place, a members-only store that opened in the past 10 years. The remaining third is largely carved up among Hawaiian food and fish retailer Haili's Hawaiian Foods, crack seed store Lin's Market, and shave ice and chicken seller Stanley's Chicken Market.

Rachel Haili, owner of Haili's Hawaiian Foods, said Tropic Fish & Vegetable is almost like a loss in the family. "We kind of grew up with them," she said, explaining that her parents started Haili's Hawaiian Foods in 1950. "They've been our neighbor all these years. It's going to be sad not having them (next door)."

Tropic Fish & Vegetable will continue to employ about 50 people in its wholesale operation that began years after the company was established as a retailer.

Tropic Fish & Vegetable distributes fresh and frozen seafood to Hawai'i restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and other businesses. The company also supplies distributors on the Mainland.

Tanoue said the company's wholesale division is partnering with the parent company of Big Island-based wholesale seafood distributor Hilo Fish Co. to diversify the product and customer lines of both companies.

The new company will be called Tropic Fish Hawaii LLC, and is expected to begin operating April 1 with Tanoue as president and chief operating officer.

Reach Andrew Gomes at agomes@honoluluadvertiser.com.