The Oldest Cheese Shop In The US Is Closing After A Pandemic-Long Struggle

When Eater NY reported in December 2020 that more than 1,000 New York restaurants closed due to COVID-19, people hoped that the negative impact of the pandemic would fade into a distant memory. Unfortunately, the long reach of the pandemic has hit another historic establishment in Little Italy. According to NBC New York, Alleva Dairy, located at the corner of Mulberry Street and Grand Street, will close its doors on March 5, 2023. The business was founded by Pina Alleva in 1892, and after 130 years of serving the borough, the local shop is considered the oldest cheese shop in the United States. 

From its freshly made mozzarella to cannoli, the shop served locals and nearby restaurants. But, like many other businesses, the COVID shutdown reduced business and led to financial strife. According to The Guardian, Alleva Dairy filed for bankruptcy in September 2022 amidst a court battle over unpaid rent. Although fundraising efforts looked to avoid the closure, the landlord and the store agreed to a settlement where owed back rent will be forgiven, but Alleva Dairy will be released from the remainder of its tenant lease and will need to vacate the premises.

As The New York Times reported, the business was run by the Alleva family until "The Sopranos" actor John Ciarcia took over in 2014. Karen King, Ciarcia's wife, is the current owner. The shop catered to Italian immigrants who blended Italian cooking techniques with American ingredients.

Many are sad to see the shop close, but there does seem to be some hope among fans that it could somehow find a new home. Although owner Karen King shared that she's not sure where the business is going now, she seemed resilient in the face of defeat. "I do know that if we go somewhere, it'll be bigger, it'll be better," King said (via New York Times). "We're taking with us the quality that we have had on Mulberry and Grand for this long."

Sadly, for many New Yorkers, the loss of the cheese store's longtime location means the end of a century-plus tradition. In fact, King even called the location the "heartbeat of Little Italy." Over the years, it had a stream of well-known faces as patrons. "Who's The Boss?" star Tony Danza has been photographed at the location, and "A Bronx Tale" actor Chazz Palminteri told The New York Post, "It's a loss. It's sad that a store like that has to go under. Alleva was a great store. It was all about the food."

On Alleva Dairy's Instagram page, a number of fans reacted to the store's closing and voiced their hope that the business will return to another location. Instagram user allaboutshayna said, "So sorry about the closing of the location. My grandfather from Palermo and my father used to shop at Alleva, when the Alleva family owned it back in the days. Very sad to see this happen." For now, a historic food business is closing its doors, but some hope that the shop's freshly made mozzarella will be served in the future.