Harvard Street in Coolidge Corner just got a whole lot more luxurious. Marky’s Caviar, a Florida-based outpost with locations in New York and Miami, has opened a retail shop for high-end foods and a café serving a selection of caviar services.
Marky’s has hunted for two years for the perfect spot to expand its brand into New England. Coolidge Corner fit the bill. The retail side serves up everything from Italian-made pastas and truffles to an extensive selection of caviar.
“Brookline is such a tight-knit community,” says marketing representative Dara Shakhanava. “Super walkable and it also has ties to Slavic and Eastern European culture.”
Despite Brookline’s dense Eastern European population, Marky’s team says there’s been an education curve with the new audience. Many shoppers are sampling a few different types of caviar and roe to see what they like before diving into a more serious supply. Shakhanava says caviar culture in Boston is still developing, and it will take time to make it mainstream.
Though Brookline has been home to several specialty food stores, including the former Allium Market and Bazaar International Gourmet, Marky’s is the first to specialize in caviar specifically.
Founded in 1983, Marky’s launched first in Miami and then expanded to three locations in New York. The Tribeca location houses Huso, a Michelin-recognized restaurant that heavily utilizes caviar in the menu.
The brand is the only legal producer of beluga caviar in the United States. They produce the delicacy on Sturgeon Aquafarms in Florida. Beluga is one of the more expensive styles of caviar because it can take up to 20 years for the fish to reach maturity. As a result, an ounce of beluga will run customers upwards of $280, depending on the quality, versus a less exclusive Siberian sturgeon for $100. Marky’s sells a range of levels, from $12 salmon roe to an $800 Osetra Imperial Gold, the most premier offering. For convenience, the shop is also on DoorDash and Caviar delivery.
General managers Olga Zheleznyak and Sam Ronkin run the store and cafe day-to-day alongside a dedicated and knowledgeable staff. Zheleznyak was very hands-on, choosing everything from the table flowers to the silverware.
“It’s like my baby,” says Zheleznyak. “I like this atmosphere, where people can relax and spend time.”
Locals appear to be taking advantage of the uninterrupted experience. When BrooklineHub spoke with Zheleznyak on a Wednesday afternoon, she said two groups had already ordered a full caviar service that morning and had spent a few hours enjoying it.
Shakhanava says Marky’s will continue integrating itself into the Coolidge Corner community. They want to collaborate with local restaurants to showcase the shop’s wares. Keep an eye out; caviar ice cream may come to Harvard Street this summer.
