Little Cheese Shoppe, one of the first retail spaces in downtown San Jose’s San Pedro Square Market, closed in mid-October. The shop sold a selection of artisan cheeses and accompaniments such as olives, crackers and honey, and also served soups, charcuterie and sandwiches.
“The Cheese Shoppe was supposed to be a small retail specialty food shop that focused on local artisan cheeses and other specialty food items,” says owner Courtney Vasquez. “I think there’s something to be said for the introduction and education. Wine and cheese are one of those areas where people feel a bit of intimidation, but that’s where we were hoping to help people get over that fear.”
In the 14 months that Little Cheese Shoppe was open, the store stocked more than 400 different artisan cheeses. Vazquez brought in cheese-makers for meet-and-greets and hosted wine tastings.
Recently, she says the vision of San Pedro Square Market began to shift, with more of a focus on eateries without a retail component. “My business doesn’t fit this current environment,” she says. But Vazquez notes that this has given her an opportunity to find a different way to give the public access to her services—right now, she is operating as a “roving cheese monger.”
Vazquez is working with J. Lohr and Testarossa wineries to offer wine and cheese pairing workshops. The Little Cheese Shoppe website also remains online so Vazquez can continue to share her knowledge. And opening another shop in the future is not out of the question.
“I have a lot of people who are contacting me who want to see this concept stay alive in the South Bay,” she says. ”We’re going to investigate all of our options and just move forward in a positive fashion, looking forward to what tomorrow may bring.”