America’s oldest cheese shop to close after 130 years

Cheese is one of the most popular foods in the United States. It is a convenient food and can be used in a wide variety of recipes, making it a staple in many American homes. Whether it’s making delicious snacks or topping pizzas, burgers and sandwiches – Americans just can’t live without cheese! It’s safe to say that cheese has become an integral part of the American diet, and many people have developed a deep affection for it. However, a recent development can be quite disappointing for all cheese lovers. The oldest cheese shop in the United States is about to close after 130 years of financial struggles and court battles.

According to NBC, a cheese shop called Alleva Dairy in Manhattan’s Little Italy (believed to be the oldest in the US) is about to close after its owners struggled to pay rent during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report further states that the cheese shop has less than a month to leave the only known location in its 130-year history. “We’re due out by March 5th,” owner Karen King reportedly said.

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King bought the store a decade ago with her husband, who was born and raised in Little Italy. “His name was Cha Cha and he was the unofficial mayor of Little Italy,” King said. When Cha Cha died in 2015, Raja made it his mission to keep the shop open. But in 2020, when the pandemic hit, many businesses in the tourism industry were hit hard by shutdowns. “There was literally no one on the streets but we decided we had to do something,” she said.

As the pandemic subsided, business slowly picked up, especially as the shop expanded to serve ready meals and sandwiches. “It helped, but I didn’t get the money I needed for rent,” King said. The store was engaged in a months-long legal battle with its landlord over $500,000 in unpaid rent. Later, the store filed for bankruptcy because fundraising efforts did not yield enough to pay the rent.

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In April 2022, King said she was willing to pay the rent, but wanted more time to do so. The landlord agreed to forgive the shop’s debt, but insisted that they must leave the building. King said, “My heart is broken. My heart is broken but I am a fighter.” She also said that she still had some hope that something might help save the store.

King said she hopes to be able to open a cheese shop elsewhere. She wasn’t sure what the store would look like, but said it won’t be similar to a store that’s been selling cheese since 1892.