Mercato del Mare, a new seafood market slightly below the street level in the North End greets customer with great joy. It has become a regular stop for shoppers looking for top quality fish. And if anyone buy something, he/she is likely to get recipes, cooking tips, and a generous dose of warmth from the two owners. Mercato is the project of Elizabeth Ventura and Keri Cassidy, friends and longtime North End residents.
Cassidy, a former software salesperson, and Ventura, former human resources manager for the Boston Public Library, were both ready for something new. They left their jobs with the idea of starting a food-oriented business. It is said that the shop is filled mostly with wild caught and local fish. Cod, haddock, sole, and monkfish all come from George’s Bank. Much of the shellfish is from Cape Cod.
Before opening their shop Ventura and Cassidy had to educate themselves quickly about the business. Cassidy still recalls her first trip to the Boston Fish Pier on Northern Avenue to buy fish. It was very intimidating because there are few women in the business; she was not greeted warmly. Both work with a sales representative who guides them to good suppliers, and they say they rely heavily on a small group of trusted vendors.
Ventura said that customers have told them that in the past they didn’t buy fish because they didn’t know how to order it; as it happens, she used to be one of those people. The shopkeepers interact with everyone who comes through the door and know their regulars well now.
