The King of Caviar
Rod Mitchell, of Browne Trading in Portland, has built a seafood empire that is as far reaching as it is unlikely.
By Michael S. Sanders, photography by Russel French
Some people strolling past the brick building at the head of Merrill's Wharf in Portland's Old Port probably spot the twenty-foot-tall sign spelling out "Browne Trading" in old-fashioned gilt letters and wonder who exactly Mr. Browne is and what he trades. If they duck into the retail store that takes up half of the lower floor, they might then think that the sign is a bit of overkill, even though the selection of fresh fish and shellfish, wine, caviar, and other specialty food items packed into the high-ceilinged, wooden-floored space is both gorgeous and unusual.
