For Irina Ustyan, opening Black Sea Cafe & Market in San Marcos was about more than bringing European foods to a new neighborhood. It was about recreating a small piece of a place that has been part of her family for generations.
The idea began with a simple observation: many Eastern European products and foods can be difficult to find in a traditional supermarket.
Irina envisioned a local market where customers could find familiar staples such as sauerkraut, pickled tomatoes, cucumbers and mushrooms, grains, refrigerated foods, sweets and other imported specialties.
But the name Black Sea tells the more personal part of the story.
“I spent my summers at the Black Sea, and my grandmother still resides on the coast of the Black Sea,” Irina said. “It’s very nostalgic for me and my family.”
That connection helped shape a business that has quickly become more than a specialty market. Black Sea Cafe & Market has also developed into a casual neighborhood gathering place where customers stop for coffee and pastries, meet friends, browse the shelves or discover foods and flavors they may never have tried before.
While the market provides a taste of home for members of North County’s Eastern European community, Irina has enjoyed seeing people from San Marcos and neighboring cities come through the doors simply because they are curious.
Black Sea Cafe & Market’s connection to the local business community actually began before its storefront opened. Irina joined the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce while she was still preparing to launch the business.
“We joined even prior to opening our storefront, and that was extremely beneficial,” Irina said. “If anyone is on the fence, I highly recommend joining the Chamber, whether you’ve already opened your business or you’re in the process of getting started.”
For Irina, what began as an idea for a European market has evolved into a place where culture, food and community intersect — connecting memories of summers along the Black Sea with a growing community here in San Marcos.
Black Sea Cafe & Market is located at 277 S. Rancho Santa Fe Road, Unit T, San Marcos.
