by Anni Pelmeni
It is what could be called ‘a luxury supermarket’ of Moscow, though it might sound as an oxymoron, but this is what it is. Next to Metro Pushkinskaya on the left handside if you walk from , address – 14. The house was originally built in 18 century by a noble man from the Ekaterina II court, his name was Kozitskiy and the house was a present for his wife. The house stayed in the family of Kozitsky and in the end of the 19 century the granddaughter of Kozitskiy - princess (knyaginya) Bolkonskaya – had a fancy salon on this house which was frequented by famous people like Pushkin, Vyazemskiy, Baratysky and Venevitov.
In the end of 19 th century a millionaire Gregory Elliseev bought the house. After reconstruction the family estate was transformed into a shop selling grocery, exotic delicatessen, wines. Elliseev had a predicate of being a supply for the Tsar’s family which considered one of the highest hallmark of quality. The shop on Tverskaya was indeed something magnificent and totally a new level of custom service. The range of goods available in this shop was impressive both imported and domestic products. The decorations were rather pompous with multitude of gold, crystal and mosaics. Sort of a palace which has everything and will sell anything.
In the beginning of the 20 th century Gregory Elliiseev made what we call a ‘chain-store’ opening the same type of the shops in St. Petersburg, and Kiev. After the Revolution of 1917 the shop in Moscow was remained into Gastronom #1 but it still functioned as a grocery store in a palace. In 2003 it was re-modeled and the original internal decorations were restored as well as the name Elliseevskiy. This store is worthy a visit, treat it like a museum – it is stunning and outrageously expensive.
Stumbe it!
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