Inside Columbus’ new live coral store. Beginners can start small
Taste of the Sea Reef, a shop specializing in live corals and aquarium supplies, has opened inside Highside Market, 211 13th Street, as part of StartUP Columbus’ Retail Lab.
Co-owners Ashley and Marissa Marrero told the Ledger-Enquirer their business focuses on selling live corals, fish supplies and equipment for people interested in coral propagation.
“We sell live corals that you find in the ocean,” Ashley said. “We sell stuff to actually propagate the coral as well.”
Ashley said the idea grew out of a personal hobby that began while she was stationed in Hawaii with the U.S. Army. After moving to Columbus, she wanted to create “that piece of the ocean” she missed, Ashley said, eventually learning how to keep coral and building toward starting this store.
“There aren’t any of the (coral) stores here for about a two-hour radius, and it’s a far drive to go to Atlanta,” she said. “So I was like, ‘You know what? I want to do it here. I want to open a store here one day.’”
The couple said they aim to help newcomers feel comfortable entering the hobby, which can be intimidating and expensive for first-timers, describing how the shop provides advice on selecting corals, stocking fish and getting a tank started.
“We also offer guidance for people,” Marissa said.
Ashley encourages beginners to plan and research, but she said shoppers can start small. The shop expects to stock smaller, desktop-sized tanks, including a 40-ounce option.
“It’s just so that you can see how it works without actually putting so much money into it,” she said.
Taste of the Sea Reef also emphasizes education in the store, including ways to view coral colors accurately under aquarium lighting. Ashley said orange lenses can help block blue light and show corals’ “true colors” as they appear outside the lighting effects.
The shop’s name reflects the experience the owners hope to provide.
“That’s why we were called Taste of the Sea Reef,” Ashley said. “We’re just having a little taste of the sea out here.”
Taste of the Sea Reef shares space with other businesses at Highside Market. The owners said they see the Retail Lab as a way to build momentum with lower risk. Marissa said the program offers reduced rent and business training.
“They have a set of courses that we’re going to take … with finance and promotion and marketing,” she said, “all those things that you need to run a business so that we’re not just left, like, ‘Here you go.’”
The couple said they also lean on neighboring vendors for cross-promotion.
“We pretty much try to vouch for each other,” Ashley said. “This is like one family.”
Taste of the Sea Reef offers tank maintenance and setup services. The owners said they hope to expand into coral farming. Ashley added that they want to grow beyond the Retail Lab space when their year in the program ends.
The shop is working toward online ordering options, including pickup and shipping. For more information and updates, customers can follow Taste of the Sea Reef on Facebook and Instagram, and check out their website at tasteoftheseareef.com.
