A cheese shop considered to be the oldest in the US is set to close, after its owners struggled to pay rent during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Alleva Dairy, on Grand Street in Little Italy in New York City, has operated for 130 years. Its current owner, Karen King, bought the store a decade ago with her husband.
“My husband was born and raised in Little Italy, his name was Cha Cha and he was the unofficial mayor of Little Italy,” King told NBC.
After Cha Cha died in 2015, King worked to keep the shop open. But in 2020, like many businesses, it was hurt by the pandemic as tourist traffic came to a standstill.
“There was literally like no one on the streets but we decided that we had to do something,” King said.
Many restaurants that ordered from the shop were closed, exacerbating the impact on King’s business. The shop also did not receive substantial government help, King said.
“I’ve written letters extensively to senators and government officials,” she told the New York Post. “We met with the governor’s office and got lip service.”
Business picked up as the pandemic receded, especially as the shop expanded to serving sandwiches and ready-made meals. But it has not been enough to make rent owed.
“It helped but it didn’t bring in the money that I needed,” King told NBC.
The shop, which started selling cheese in 1892, engaged in a lengthy court battle with its landlord over hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid rent. In September, the shop filed for bankruptcy. Fundraising efforts have not yielded enough to pay off the $500,000 owed.
Under a deal, the shop will no longer be responsible for back rent but will not have the rest of its 10-year lease honored, ABC reported.
“My landlord and I have reached an agreement releasing me from all financial obligations,” King said in a statement. “I was really hoping that this day would never come and it’s a sad one.”
The last day of operation for the historic shop is set for 5 March.
King has said she hopes to open the shop in another location. On Thursday, the Guardian was asked to call back for comment the following day. After news of its impending closure, staff said, the shop was extremely busy.
