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Roslindale cheese shop to slice its last at the end of the month
By adamg on Tue, 02/03/2015 - 8:05pm
The owners of the Boston Cheese Cellar on Birch Street said tonight they're closing the shop at the end of the month.
In a newsletter to customers, Kathy Lacher and John Pierce say they're looking for somebody who'd want to continue selling cheese to Roslindale. They plan to go out with a fondue party on Feb. 28.
Roslindale's only cheese shop opened in 2006; it was later joined on Birch Street by a wine shop.
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Comments
Such a loss to Roslindale
Just sad. Was just in there right before blizzard. Bought two lbs of cheese - well - just because. Always nice and friendly and knowledgeable. A destination and a joy the have in the village. They will be missed.
Will MissThem
They have/had some great stuff along with cheese. Some of the hot sauce was really white hot! Very nice people and very committed to the health of the business district.
That said, I think this is a sad commentary on what can *sometimes* happen with urban mechanics and forcing clusters of small business in one area.
This is not the first small business that has opened, ran a few years, then closed in Roslindale Sq., because in the long run it was not possible to grow and evolve.
I know that some people who work, but do not live, in Roslindale that trade there and people come from other communities to shop there, but it is not enough. There are other small businesses in Roslindale that are also starving right now and when you walk by you ask yourself, 'how much longer will they last.'
The Main Streets group seeks to promote business, or at least that was their initial mission. Over time it has evolved to a point where it (IMHO) has become too picky. When asked how long is too long to hold a storefront vacant waiting for the right mom and pop shop, the stock answer is they take it on a case by case basis. That's a great politically correct and evasive answer, but then given they get so much funding from the City, I guess sometimes that rubs off with the coinage. Is 4 weeks, 4 months, 4 years enough? Their board needs to really take a long look at their mission. At what point is waiting too long detrimental to the growth and vitality of the business district? And if the current trend persists, what can be done to prevent these small businesses from only lasting a few years? They need stronger roots.
Scuttlebutt about the business district is that faith in their programs and missions is on the wane. Rumors are starting to erupts that Roslindale Sq is not friendly to business unless to are a specific type. Can we afford to scare away people?
I reflect on the renovation of Adams Park that was so highly touted with great "community input," and strongly driven by and advocated by the main streets group. That small plot of grass now has more concrete in it than before. Who does that benefit? Farmer's Market. More slots and walk space. Also driven by Main Streets.
Hmmm....
We shall miss the Cheese shop. It is yet another in a series of mom and pop stores lured to Roslindale, but only had enough steam to last a short time. Who will be next? I predict 1-2 more by spring - or sooner. Stay tuned.
What a load of hooey
You'd think, reading the bloviation above, that the Cheese Cellar just opened last summer. In fact, they had a nearly decade-long run - definitely beating the average for a small business.
And the idea that RVMS has the power (or desire!) to "hold storefronts vacant" is so ridiculous that it's hard to believe it was presented seriously. The writer is either truly misinformed - or trying to promote some sort of weird agenda.
I'll be going over to the Boston Cheese Cellar tomorrow (Feb 28) to enjoy some fondue and buy some great cheese. I'll also raise a glass to toast Kathy and John's years of success, wish them well in the future, and thank them for adding to the pleasure of living in this neighborhood.
NOooooooooooooooooooo!
NOooooooooooooooooooo!
No 'cut the cheese' jokes?
Too easy?
Too soon
Just too soon man...
Perhaps John Cleese would like some cheese?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPN3KTtrnZM
I will miss them
Especially their amazing chocolate bar selection.
But to be honest, they would sell a lot of packaged and refrigerated goods past their sell-by date. If they couldn't or wouldn't manage their inventory properly, there must have been other problems too.
Sad to hear this.
It seemed to me that it took them a while to find their footing as retailers--you need to be so gregarious to run a store like that and often the folks there seemed a bit shy and harried--but they seemed like such nice people and I always enjoyed going in. The kitchen store...I really want them to survive and thrive but boy--the customer service in there both times I've been in has been seriously lacking. No greeting, literally, no attitude of helpfulness, interest, anything--in fact the last time I was there the woman behind the counter was grumbling to her friend about how eager she was to close up in half an hour. While I'm standing there four feet away. Sorry, but if I want a bored robot helping me choose kitchen towels I'd go to Amazon.
Say it Ain't So!
This is awful news! I love this place, and if had the knowledge (and money) to take over I would. Rosi Sq needs shops like these, now lets hope Petco doesn't try to force it's way into this spot as well.