In their own words
Heather Zinn is the owner of The Cheese Lady location at 315 Fuller Avenue, in Grand Rapids, MI.
The Cheese Lady
Member since: 2012 Owner: Heather Zinn Location: 315 Fuller Avenue, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Opened: 2012 Specialties: 200+ artisan cheeses, wines, and accompaniments Services: Bankcard, gift card program
By RACHEL SCHRAUBEN Photos STEVE JESSMORE Does your business have a unique story? Contact rschrauben@retailers.com.
When you walk into The Cheese Lady, owned and operated by Heather Zinn, in the Midtown neighborhood of Grand Rapids, you’ll feel welcome as soon as you walk through the door. With the eighth location opening soon, The Cheese Lady’s history started in Muskegon, when Kathleen Fagan Riegler began selling artisan cheeses from around the world at the Muskegon Farmers’ Market in 2004. Year-round demand justified a storefront and the original store now sits on Terrace Street in downtown Muskegon. A second location opened in 2011 by Natalie St. Louis Fuller just southwest of downtown Kalamazoo in Texas Corners and Zinn opened the third store in Grand Rapids in October of 2012. Zinn shares how the other Cheese Lady locations help her business grow and how her cheese mongers help you find the perfect cheese for any recipe, party or weekday splurge. The Cheese Ladys are independent, but also enjoy and thrive by sharing ideas and experiences. The boutique franchise model formulated by Kathleen, and her husband John, is based on quality customer experience and sharing a love and passion for good food. All of the stores offer a unique vibe, but they all share the same warmth and welcoming experience to
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MICHIGAN RETAILER OCT / NOV 2021
