Culture Cheese Shop hopes to open in street-facing space in July

HOLLAND — Holland has been home to a cheese shop for about six months; but the cheese is about to get a whole lot more visible.

Liz Sluiter brought Culture Cheese Shop, which previously operated out of the Grand Rapids Downtown Market, to Holland at 211 South River Ave. during the holiday season. The business found success in the location — so, when its street-facing neighbor Anna Interiors announced its impending closure, Sluiter seized the opportunity.

“This is nice because we were crammed in our old space,” Sluiter said. “During the holiday season, we were very tight on space. It will be so nice for all of us.”

It's been a team effort to get the new space ready — with a goal to open sometime in July.

“It was either bet on ourselves or bet on somebody else,” Sluiter said. “We took the bet on ourselves.”

With added space comes more offerings. Sluiter — a mother of three and dental hygienist — plans to set up wine racks and sell bottled wine. The space will better accommodate cheese classes and will allow her to hire additional staff.

She plans to add more cheeses and jams and cookies and cake pops for youngsters. There could be grilled cheese down the line.

The small business has been busy, Sluiter said, because of the community's support.

"It has been tear jerking," she said. "It is very moving to see small business support the way this community does it."

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The original Culture Cheese Shop remains open through construction with expanded hours from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays.

Learn more at culturecheeseshop.com.

— Contact reporter Austin Metz at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Culture Cheese Shop hopes to open in street-facing space in July