09/11/2026
In the days and weeks to come you will hear that I am closing the cheese shop. It’s true. I tried unsuccessfully to keep the doors open, but I have failed.
I had two amazing people who wanted to take over the cheese shop, and we having been working behind the scenes for the last two months to make it happen. But sadly the space will end up going to a restaurant as the restaurant won the Landlord’s approval over the cheese shop, as is their prerogative, as I am in rent arrears.
People will counsel me as to what I should and should not say. But I have to lead with my heart.
The cheese industry is incredible. I wish I could have stuck it out. I love all of it. I have been so proud to be part of it. I have let you down. I am so sorry. I mean it.
If you have an independent cheese shop near you, go. No, I mean really go. Embrace cheese as an ingredient. Let the cheesemongers tell you the stories of the cheeses in their cases. Fall in love with them, go back.
We will sell off our inventory and pantry goods next week, Tuesday. And then I will start the painful process that is ahead for me. I leave this with nothing. To say that my mental health has taken a hit is an understatement. I have a small circle of people who have known about this and they are putting their arms around me. Please forgive me if you reach out and my response is sparse as this is so hard.
There are so many reasons why. I got over leveraged with trying to keep the shop open through covid, and then in the years that followed it all snowballed.
This year we were down 40% and the summer has shown us a staggeringly lower % than that. It’s impossible. I take the blame for not being able to do better.
You’ll have a chance to say goodbye to Samantha and Jessie on Tuesday . They both know and have been looped in over the last weeks, and they are so, so sad.
I love our customers so very much. You are the best community anyone could ever ask for. Thank you. 🙏🏻 You’re the reason why we have been here for 14.5 years. You’re truly the most lovely.
Please go and shop at your local shops, you have no idea what they are going through behind the shiny facade of social media.
x Louise
