Judging by the latest enterprises to come up the river, you would think that Demopolis was a port on the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean, rather than a port on the Tombigbee River.

Last month, the cruise liner Niagara Prince came up the river, stopping at Demopolis on its return trip from New Orleans to Chicago.

This week, Tim Harrison is parking his trawler at the Yacht basin and city landing to start up a seafood business in Demopolis.

Harrison’s company, Bella Mia, began operation today at the Yacht Basin, and will move to the city landing this weekend.

Dealing predominantly with Gulf shrimp, he will expand, and is taking orders for any other kind of seafood that anyone would want to have, brought back fresh from the Gulf.

When people began hoping for businesses to come to Demopolis last year, they may not have been thinking about a former commercial fisherman striking out on his own, selling his catch on our banks, but that’s what makes business fascinating, seeing someone taking an idea, finding a niche that hasn’t been filled, and making a go of it.

How many international successes began as an idea that no one thought of?

How many business ventures began in the streets of a small town, one customer at a time?

It only takes an idea and a little luck, and Harrison believes his idea has legs.

He is already impressed with Demopolis and its friendly, business-friendly attitude. The rest is up to him and his co-workers.

It says something about our town that someone would choose to begin his business here.

This can be something that can bring similar businesses to Demopolis — and other ports of call.