For many years, Sol "The Cod Father" Amon of Pure Food Fish has been the longest-tenured vendor at Pike Place Market. His father, Jack Amon, began selling fish in the Market in 1911 as a partner in the Philadelphia Fish Market. From about 1920 to 1935, he owned and operated the American Fish Company. In 1951 he bought the Pure Food Fish Company (founded 1917–1918), which Sol Amon largely took over in 1956. Sol had worked in the Market since 1947 and has been sole proprietor of Pure Food Fish since his father's death in 1966. He can often be seen outside his stall chatting with visitors and helping them choose their fish, including a brisk tourist trade in salmon packed to travel. The Seattle City Council honored him in 2006 on the 50th anniversary of his taking over the business: they named him "King of the Market" and permanently designated April 11 as Sol Amon Day. Amon is a longtime major supporter of the Market Foundation. On the first Sol Amon Day in 2006, Amon donated all of the day's profits from Pure Food Fish to the foundation.Erik Lacitis, Selling fish still his "first love" , Seattle Times, May 1, 2007, reproduced on FreshSeafood.com, accessed February 1, 2008."King Gets His Day", Pike Place Market News, April 2006 , Pike Place Market Merchant Association, p. 2. Accessed online February 1, 2008.Emmett Watson, Tale Of One Of Seattle's Most Famous Faces Is No Fish Story , Seattle Times, December 27, 1990, reproduced on FreshSeafood.com, accessed October 12, 2008.
