Save the Cheese Shop - We don't want to close.

UPDATE! I am truly overwhelmed by the money raised, funds which will keep our doors open. I set this fundraiser to automatic, which is why the goal keeps on changing, it's done by the system. I wanted to clarify that. Thank you all so much.

Last week, after a series of events, we made the terrible decision to close our doors at the end of the month. We announced the news but were not prepared for the avalanche of outpouring from you. We are not done, and it turns out, you are not done with us. This is not where the story of the cheese shop ends.

For background, we are Artisan Cheese Company, located in the Rosemary District in Sarasota, Florida. At our core we are a hand-cut-to order independent cheese shop doing business for 13 + years. We offer a thoughtfully curated cheese selection, a bountiful pantry and specialty food section. Cheese boards and light fare table services are enjoyed at our harvest table. We are a champion of artisanal and farmstead cheeses from across the world. We are your third space, the place you come to bring us good news, the sad news. To meet your friends, family, or have first dates. We are your third space.

We know that small businesses are being moved out of the marketplace. And as an independent cheese shop, we know we are a dinosaur . We shifted at some point to a hyper local lunch menu, so that when people came in for lunch in a brief one hour window from 12-1, we had people in seats at the table, and we seemed so busy. A lunch that has been incredibly challenging to sustain and keep up, and it's kept me from focusing on so many other things. Systems. Marketing. Curating. And just plain steering the shop.

The hurricanes of last year did us in, and we never caught up, try as I might. The decision to close did not come from left field. Everything snowballed, a culmination of the hurricanes, the economy, lack of staff, lack of customers. And maybe because we looked like we were doing great. We were not. I tried so hard to keep us going, and last week, one last thing broke me. I gave up.

I made the announcement. But then Sarasota showed up. Friday and Saturday were our busiest days ever. Ever. We sold out of everything. Payroll and rent were met. And then a kind angel came forward with help to stop the gap. The scary cavern that kept me up for months and months. It meant that we could take a breath and maybe keep going.

But then last night, another sleepless one where I tossed and turned and woke up in the middle of night to crunch more numbers, I awoke with the realization that the stop gap keeps the doors open, but we need to accept your help. What help?

So many of you have reached out to us "how can we help?" "what can we do?" and, are you doing a gofundme? The answer to the latter was no, we were not. But here we are.

I have been meeting working tirelessly in the background. Meeting with people. Tossing out ideas. Creating spreadsheets. Meeting with people. Having every imaginable conversation with staff, family, and dear friends. Behind the closed doors of the cheese shop I've sat on the floor coming up with a plan, then another, then another.

We have a lot of work ahead of us. We have to hire 3 new people just to be able to keep going. I have meetings set up with business consultants. We have to adjust our hours to realistically keep in line with our too small team. We have to adjust what we offer out of our kitchen.

So this gofundme, our Hail Mary, will help us get through the next few months. I don't know what I'm asking for. I tossed out a number. Anything raised will stay in the business to cover expenses. (payroll, rent, vendor payments, operating costs).

If you do not want, or cannot help, then please share. Tell our story.

if you have a cheese shop, or local business near you, go in and support them.

And thank you. Thank you.