Today we’d like to introduce you to Janelle Norman.
Janelle, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I worked as a cheesemaker in Vermont before returning to graduate school for geology. After finishing my master’s in Geology, I worked as a cheesemonger in Austin, TX. After that I came to Santa Barbara to do a PhD in Geology at UCSB. After that, I moved to the Santa Ynez Valley and opened a cheese shop! I use my geology education to teach classes about terroir and its influence on cheese and wine.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I started my shop just as a catering business and cheese school in 2017. Once I had enough money, I opened a brick and mortar. It was Sept 2019, and I had a three-month-old baby. Covid hit six months later, and we adapted the business model to survive. In 2021, I had a second baby and about three months later moved the shop to a new, larger location. Growth has been gradual but very steady since the beginning!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Cailloux Cheese Shop?
We are a small cut-to-order artisanal cheese shop carrying the best award-winning cheeses from around the world. We have a large wine, beer, and cider program and also carry fresh bread, cured meats, and accouterments. We have a bistro-style food menu with delicious French plates. And we offer fun and informative cheese classes regularly in the evenings.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Managing staff and staffing a shop is very challenging!!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.caillouxcheeseshop.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caillouxcheeseshop/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/caillouxcheeseshop
Image Credits
Heather Daenitz of Craft & Cluster
