David Whitby opened Shoreline after selling Yellow Umbrella — the Richmond seafood market his parents started decades ago.

“The Yellow Umbrella started in 1980, so when I was a kid, I grew up in it,” Whitby said during an interview on the Eat It, Virginia podcast . “When my dad started the business, it was just crab, shrimp, oysters, and rockfish. The nature of the food business was changing, and it was a good time to be getting into it because there were a lot of new vendors coming to Richmond. People were looking for different things.”

Whitby sold Yellow Umbrella to new owners in 2020. After taking a few years away from the restaurant industry, he returned in 2024 with a new concept—Shoreline Seafood.

In addition to a full seafood market, Shoreline offers special dinners on Fridays and Saturdays.

“It’s sort of like a chef’s tasting menu. It’s 10 seats, so it’s a real intimate setting. We shut the store down at 6:45, and guests arrive at 7,” Whitby said. “It’s usually about a two-and-a-half-hour experience. Each course is laid out. It’s pretty laid back; it’s not really anything super fancy, other than the food and the way that it’s getting to you.”

Whitby emphasized the importance of sourcing high-quality seafood globally and, on the podcast, shared tips for new seafood cooks who might be intimidated to prepare seafood at home.