The shelves at Olive Rustica are lined with olive oils and balsamic vinegars in dozens of flavors, as well as cookbooks, kitchen tools and jars of pasta sauce that lend the shop the air of an Italian market.
That was the design of Audrey Hart, owner of the shop at 1700 Broad St. All the vinegars and olive oils are sourced from small groves across the world, Hart said.
“They’re not mass-produced,” Hart said in an interview at the shop, which opened in September. “They’re just mom-and-pop type groves that do really high-quality product.”
During the holiday season, Olive Rustica stocks gift baskets and boxes including products like spice mixes, olive oil soap and specialty salts. The Southside space was formerly occupied by Smart Furniture Studio, which closed in 2023. It’s close to Interstate 24, Highway 27 and Main Street, with broad sidewalks.
“I love the windows, and it’s walkable,” Hart said. “We do get a lot of people walking by. We wanted to be in the Southside.”
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The products offer fellow Chattanoogans and visitors access to oils and vinegars that carry health benefits and are higher quality than what grocery stores stock, Hart said.
Hart and her husband, Rob, moved to the area from Florida when they purchased the Chanticleer Inn Bed and Breakfast in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. The couple owned and operated the inn from 2008 until they sold it in 2018, though they remain residents of the mountain town.
Hart owns a Florida shop called Emerald Coast Olive Oil, with locations in Destin and Panama City Beach. She wanted the chance to build a similar store from scratch in Chattanooga, and her inspiration came partly from her own Sicilian heritage.
At Olive Rustica, the balsamic vinegars all come from Modena, Italy, the world capital for the beloved product. The vinegars come in predictable flavors, like lemon or fig, and unpredictable flavors, like espresso or jalapeño lime.
The base for the store’s flavored olive oils comes from Portugal, Hart said, and she tries to stock at least four or five extra-virgin olive oils from around the world.
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Olive Rustica has five oils that are made with a “pressato” technique, meaning they are pressed with lemon, basil or chilis to infuse the oil with flavor. The most popular flavor of olive oil at the shop is Italian herb.
The bottles of oil and vinegar are priced between $8 and $38, depending on their size. Some specialty bottles are sold at higher prices.
Beyond oils and vinegars, Olive Rustica stocks a variety of baskets, cutting boards, Italian cookbooks and foods.
“A lot of these stores you come across, it’s just really the olive oils and the vinegars,” Hart said. “We wanted to help give our customers ideas for how to use them.”
Contact business reporter Daniel Dassow at ddassow@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318.
Dining and Cooking