Oldest Cheese Shop in America to Close

After over a century of business, the oldest cheese shop is closing. This was due to disagreements between the landlord and the COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions in New York City. 

Alleva Dairy, located at Little Italy in New York City Neighborhood was established in 1892. 

“We have to close because I couldn’t come to an agreement with the landlord and it was very tough — and also, the pandemic hurt us terribly,” Karen King, owner of the property, told “Fox & Friends” This week.

“It was a struggle for the first two years,” King said this, referring to the pandemic. 

CONNECTICUT FAMILY-BUSINESS SHUTS ITS DOORS 11 YEARS, BLAMES INCLATION, COST OF LAW

“I tried to pay her,” She meant the landlord, she said. “And we tried to make a few deals. She wasn’t accepting anything, and then it was outrageous, what she did.”

King pointed out that the landlord stated that the store owed back rental more than $600,000.

Alleva Dairy filed for bankruptcy after this. Chapter 11 bankruptcy 

Karen King, the owner of Alleva Dairy appeared on “Fox and Friends” Friday, February 10, 2010, to explain how the COVID-19 epidemic decimated her business.  (Fox News/ Fox News).

“I only filed Chapter 11 to maybe come to an agreement with her — that is why I filed it, to maybe push her to do something,” King said. “We tried, and we couldn’t.” 

The Pandemic of COVID This was “the worst experience of my life, and my people who work for me, and the tenants,” “King” 

SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS SAY INFLATION CRUSHES THEIR BUSINESS ‘OUT OF CONTROL’

“There was nobody in the streets. There was literally no one out,” She said that, and added that It’s her shop and many others like it Little Italy is dependent on tourism to keep them alive. 

“I only closed maybe two months during the pandemic,” said King — who then pivoted her focus to feeding the community. 

In 2021, she hired a chef who would “make gourmet Italian food [for] reasonable prices,” She said.

New York City’s Alleva Dairy, the oldest cheese shop in the United States, is located in New York City.  (Fox News/Fox News).

“They could order from us, and we’d send everything out,” “King” 

King and her husband Alleva Dairy purchased Original owners, 2014. King claimed that her husband was called the “unofficial mayor of Little Italy.” 

LADY GAGA’S DAD SHOWES THE LIFE-CHANGING MOMENT WHICH MADE HIM THE LUCKIEST GUY IN THE WORLD

“He was born and raised there; he loved that community. He was a real guy for the Italian culture and heritage,” She said. 

An old photo of Alleva Dairy in New York City’s Little Italy. (Fox News/ Fox News).

King stated that plans are in place to reopen Alleva Dairy in a new location.

“I’ve been looking around, I’ve been searching … and trying to find the right spot,” She said. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

“Alleva is the heart of Little Italy. It’s like an institution there. And the location is very important, only because we’re there 130 years,” “King” 

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FOX BUSINESS 

“But the quality of what we have to offer — we’re taking that with us,” She continued.