NYC's Famous Cheese Shop, Alleva Dairy, Is Reopening In New Jersey

The oldest cheese shop in the nation, Alleva Dairy, has closed its doors — to the dismay of the legions of fans who cherished the store for its housemade mozzarella, wide selection of meats and cheeses, fresh sandwiches, and homey Italian specialties like beef braciole.

The pandemic, it seemed, had claimed another victim, as the foot traffic in Alleva Dairy had plummeted since March 2020, starting a pile of debt that continued to snowball until owner Karen King was unable to find a way to recover. The shop, founded in 1892, was a fixture in New York City's Little Italy neighborhood, and King did everything possible to keep the doors open — even launching a GoFundMe campaign that ultimately did not achieve its $35,000 goal.

Unable to pay its landlord more than $500,000 in back rent, Alleva Dairy closed on March 1 (via the New York Post). But the story doesn't end there.

Alleva Dairy's iconic red and green signs may have been removed from the building's exterior, but they will reappear in New Jersey, according to a press release shared with the New York Post. King confirmed this with the publication, saying, "Thanks to the vision, generosity and commitment of businessman and developer, Jack Morris, President and CEO, of Edgewood Properties, Alleva Dairy will be opening a 3,700-square-foot store at 9 Polito Ave. in Lyndhurst, NJ."

The owner has plans for a "bigger and better" Alleva Dairy in the Garden State, though a date for the new store's opening hasn't been announced yet, per ABC7 New York. King wants to assure fans that moving the beloved shop won't change the taste of its offerings. "We make great food, so why would that stop?" the owner said to CBS New York.

Knowing there's a future for family-owned and -operated Alleva Dairy gives us all something to feel gouda about.