In Photos: Fungi Finds at Somerville’s Mushroom Shop
Located on the corner of Medford Street in Somerville, the Mushroom Shop, a specialty store sourcing mushrooms both locally and internationally, has become a staple for chefs, home cooks, and fungi fanatics alike.
The Mushroom Shop welcomes visitors with a wide selection of fresh mushrooms and whimsical, hand-drawn art to match.
Tyler Akabane is both the owner and founder of the shop. Above, he shows off his latest forage: a mushroom called Hen-of-the-wood. Akabane began his mushroom journey selling wholesale wild and cultivated mushrooms. Over the pandemic, he transitioned into a home-delivery service to adapt to the new social distancing mandates. As demand grew, he opened The Mushroom Shop storefront in May 2022.
The shop offers a wide variety of mushroom-themed merchandise, from cards to hats to tote bags.
Mushroom-themed decor, including bookshelves filled with cookbooks, can be found covering the walls across the shop.
The store lights up at golden hour while a customer shops for mushrooms.
From “Everything Everywhere All At Once” inspired googly-eyed mushrooms to overhead lights painted with mushrooms, the shop boasts a unique artistic charm.
The shop also sells fresh fruit from local farms, currently featuring seasonal paw paws, a sweet yellow fruit that Akabane describes as somewhere in between a banana and mango.
