PHOENIX — Krista and Troy Daily of Ahwatukee searched for empty retail space in downtown Phoenix, Tempe and other Valley hot spots for their new artisan cheese shop, but they finally settled on 1,000 square feet near their own neighborhood.
"There is a tradition back East and in California of having neighborhood cheese shops," Krista Daily said. "We wanted a neighborhood feel to our store too."
The Dailys opened Wedge and Bottle in Ahwatukee, in May and say they already have regulars who drop in two to three times a week for beer or wine and a cheese plate.
The store is a few doors away from a busy Trader Joe's, a popular vegetarian restaurant called Pomegranate Cafe, an upscale bead shop and a women's fashion boutique. But Wedge and Bottle may be the trendiest shop in the area right now.
"Our entire focus is on the cheese case," Troy Daily said. "Cheese is very easy to love. And we can recommend a beer or wine to go with everything we sell."
Before opening the store, the Dailys spent months researching the emerging trend of cheese shops in Portland, Ore. There, stores that sell locally made cheddar and brie are popping up in neighborhoods the way wine bars and independent coffee houses did about 10 years ago.
"There is a cheese revolution going on in the United States," Troy said. "Cheese is evolving like wine did in the United States in the 1970s and 1980s. Cheese helps milk last longer, so by selling cheese we are supporting small, local dairies."
Among the stores the Dailys used as models for their business is Portland shop called Foster and Dobbs Authentic Foods, which sells cheese, meats and other locally produced foods. The prices are not cheap, but customers are allowed to sample anything they are interested in purchasing.
"What we liked in Portland was that the stores created an experience," Krista said. "You can taste before you buy. You want to love what you are buying because it is expensive."
Because all of the cheese at Wedge and Bottle is imported or made at small, independent dairies, prices are as high as $18 a pound.
But, the Dailys said, few customers ever buy that much cheese at one time. Most take home a quarter-pound or less.
"Rarely do you need a whole pound of cheese - only if you are having a party or buying something you are going to nibble on and savor for weeks," Krista said. "It's the small luxury concept. When you buy that small piece of better quality cheese you tend to savor it and enjoy it more."
Krista said the best compliment she can get is customers saying Wedge and Bottle makes them feel like they are on vacation.
"We want this to be a casual place where people can come in, relax and have a beer and some cheese," she said. "We want it to be fun. We don't want to be pretentious."
Luxury retail analyst Pam Danziger, who just published a book titled "Putting the Luxe Back in Luxury," said the Dailys are right on trend when it comes to cultivating customers in today's frugal marketplace.
"Retail isn't a product business anymore," said Danziger, whose Unity Marketing is based in Pennsylvania. "Retail is about experiences. People have come to realize they don't have to spend $1,000 on a handbag to feel pampered. They can buy gourmet food, chocolate or spirits with pocket money and still have an experience that makes them feel special."
Information from: The Arizona Republic, http://www.azcentral.com