J&R Seafood: Honoring Tradition with Modern Vibes

When people hear the words “Fish market” what comes to mind isn’t always the most appealing, says Allison Cole. “You're like, it probably smells in there or it probably has fake lobsters hanging from the wall,” she says.

At J&R Seafood Market in Mystic that old-school-dank-seaweedmeets- pirate vibe is replaced by a modern open and bright design that is inviting for visitors whether they’re looking for a fresh catch to make from home or ordering ready-to-eat seafood specialties from the kitchen. But despite that modern appearance, the seafood market has everything people love about an old-school fish market.

This mix of modern vibes and tradition is at the heart of J&R Seafood and how the relatively new business was born. Both Allison and her co-owner Andrew Maderia came to the business from different fields, yet both have deep ties to the local seafaring community.

Allison and Andrew grew up in Stonington where the water forms a backdrop to daily life, and both have family connections in commercial fishing. Nearly a decade ago their respective fathers, John Castodio and Richie Maderia, opened J&R Scallops. “They get ‘top of the trip’ scallops, which means if a boat goes out for say 10 or 12 days, they get the last trip, so the top of the trip is your last trip,” Allison says. “They’re the freshest caught scallops.” John and Richie started the business with one bucket of scallops. They built the business at first by going into restaurant kitchens dropping of samples of scallops and telling the chef to call them if they wanted more. Demand for these scallops took off and the business expanded to other types of seafood.

Meanwhile, both Allison and Andrew, who were longtime friends, were helping their respective dads out with social media and marketing ideas. When COVID hit that help became more regular. In the early days of the shutdown, Allison posted menus on social media and offered to deliver various items within a 30-mile radius of Stonington. The promotion was popular, and Allison became more involved in the restaurant.

When the COVID thaw began, Allison and Andrew decided to open a storefront in The Velvet Mill, a historic factory space now home to a number of shops and food and beverage businesses. The space provided opportunities to start offering premade menus and offer collaborations with other tenants of the Mill. For instance, they served freshly shucked clams to visitors in Beer'd Brewing Co.’s taproom.

Fishing boats at the dock

(left) Co-owner Alison Cole outside the store; (right) lobster and clam boil

(left) Fresh clams; (top right) preparing a warm lobster roll; (bottom right) J&R's "motto"

Before long, they outgrew the space, and opened the current market location on Williams Avenue, just outside of downtown Mystic. For a time, they operated both spots but eventually closed the Velvet Mill location to focus on the new market location full-time and build it into the bustling business it is today. Popular menu items include hot and cold lobster rolls, tuna poke bowls, fish and chips, and a rotating selection of chowders including a Rhode Island cho(wder based on a family recipe. Allison always recommends people try the grilled tuna. “It's nice and rare in the middle and is ever so slightly seared, and it's marinated in a special marinade that we actually don't sell because it's a secret recipe,” she says. Other popular offerings have included Salmon Wellington and smoked salmon.

J&R Seafood Market has a catering business, and the team often offers offsite oyster bars and clam shucking classes at local wineries and beyond. Of course, the fresh seafood offerings remain a big part of their business, Here in addition to sourcing from local fisheries, the focus is on quality over quantity. “I won't have the biggest variety of fresh fish, but I carry the fish that I know will sell and that I know is the freshest that day,” Allison says.

Today, J&R Seafood Market is a separate LLC from J&R Scallops. The market is owned by Allison and Andrew, but they maintain a close relationship with the business started by their fathers. “They’re our favorite vendor,” she laughs.

The duo also remains enmeshed in the local fishing culture and community at large. “My favorite thing about being here for years is seeing all the familiar faces,” Allison says. “People actually want to stay and catch up with you. They want to know about your life. You're talking about their life. I truly feel like we're a part of the community now and a staple in town and I love that.”

• J&R Seafood is located at 45 Williams Avenue in Mystic. www.jrseafoodmarket.com - IG @jrseafoodmarket