On the Waterfront: The Chris Shake Collection
Saturday November 1, 2025 @ 12:00 pm – Saturday January 31, 2026 @ 4:00 pm
Come see the wonderful display of 40 historic photographs of the Fisherman’s Wharf and environs, owned by Chris Shake. The photos will be on exhibit at the Monterey History and Art Museum at Stanton Center from November 1st through January 2025.
The connection between Chris Shake and Old Fisherman’s Wharf runs deep, with a family history spanning almost a century. Chris is one of six sons of legendary restaurant owner Sabu Shake, Sr., who founded Old Fisherman’s Grotto in the 1950s. Chris learned the restaurant business at his father’s knee from the time he was a child with the Wharf as his playground, his school, and his community.
Chris took over ownership of Old Fisherman’s Grotto after his father passed away and followed in his footsteps as restaurateur while infusing it with his own personality. He built the restaurant into a successful enterprise that allows him to give back to the Monterey community as a leading philanthropist and cultural steward. Chris champions Wharf heritage and its future as a sponsor of activities that appeal to locals and tourists, as well as holding a leadership role in the Fisherman’s Wharf Association.
Living and working in one of the most beautiful places on earth, Chris developed a keen appreciation of photography, especially images that captured the spirit, grit, and grace of the working waterfront. His extensive photo collection grew organically over the years, through both acquisition and personal encounters. Many of the photos were a gift from Bill Hyler, another Wharf business leader whose own life experiences are represented in the historical photograph collection.
The collection reflects both a visual history of Old Fisherman’s Wharf and the iconic Monterey waterfront. It is a photo essay of Chris’ personal connection to the people and places that shaped the community he calls ‘home’. Among his favorite images are candid portraits of local fishermen and vivid snapshots of daily life along the docks that have become living history.
I have long loved remembering the Wharf in earlier days – the people, the scenery. Looking at these photos feels like I’m stepping back in time. – Chris Shake.
