{"id":38940,"date":"2020-10-27T10:23:44","date_gmt":"2020-10-27T14:23:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/?p=38940"},"modified":"2022-01-04T11:30:13","modified_gmt":"2022-01-04T16:30:13","slug":"cheesemongering-in-the-time-of-covid-new-england-shops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/developer83.wordpress-developer.us\/culturecheesemag\/cheesemongering-in-the-time-of-covid-new-england-shops\/","title":{"rendered":"Cheesemongering in the Time of COVID: New England Shops"},"content":{"rendered":"

C<\/span>OVID-19 has turned the world upside down, upending life as we know it and impacting each of us in ways we never could\u2019ve predicted. And for small businesses facing economic crises on top of health concerns, this pandemic hits especially hard. But these difficult times have also inspired an era of resilience\u2014small cheese shops across the country have been getting creative, finding ways to thrive during these difficult times and even selflessly giving back to those in need. Check out how these businesses in New England have been coping with the pandemic and using their innate persistence to bounce back. <\/p>\n

(Know a shop that should be featured in this series? Send us a message<\/a>!)<\/p>\n

\n

Curds & Co.<\/b><\/a><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This Brookline, Massachusetts shop was accustomed to being busy before COVID. But nothing prepared them for the rush that came with the pandemic lockdown. \u201cIt honestly was like the holidays, except every day. We were exhausted,\u201d says store manager Gillian Dana. \u201cThe biggest shift for us was not having that customer interaction, and just seeing names on tickets that would be flying in all day.\u201d Dana knew the staff would have to come up with a way to pivot their business model in order to maintain their special connection with customers. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was sitting at my desk brainstorming: \u2018People can\u2019t come in the store, so how do I still make mongering happen? How do we still carry out our mission of cheese education for customers?\u2019 And thus,<\/span> tele-mongering<\/span><\/a> was born,\u201d she says. The service allows customers to call in for a free one-on-one shopping experience with Dana without having to step foot in the store. \u201cAt the beginning, we had a phone line for people to call at-will. It got so popular that we had to start making appointments.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
 <\/div>\n
\n
 <\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n
\n
View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n
\n
\n
 <\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
 <\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
 <\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
 <\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

A post shared by Fine Cheese Shop & School (@curdsandco)<\/a> on