Our story... Tina Zinn
The Cheese Lady - Traverse City

Welcome to The Cheese Lady Traverse City!

The Cheese Lady is located on the west end of Front Street in downtown Traverse City. Our location and area of downtown is described by many as the “foodie area” with many specialty food and beverage markets within a couple of blocks – including Mary’s Kitchen Port, Burritt’s and Folgarelli’s – all food icons in this city. We are so thrilled to join them!

To find us, look for a big grey house with a bright yellow Cheese Lady sign in the front yard next to the CVS parking lot.

My path to becoming a “cheese lady” was a bit different than the others – there are also Cheese Lady Locations in Muskegon (the original!), Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Farmington.

After a 27-year career at Steelcase office furniture, I was ready for something different. My opportunity came through my niece Heather, who opened The Cheese Lady Grand Rapids shop in 2012. I was moonlighting at her store a couple of times a month and instantly found myself enamored with the uniqueness of The Cheese Lady concept and philosophy – specifically where cheese tastings are encouraged so you are walking out the door with cheese you know you love!

Once I knew that franchise owners Kathleen and John were considering a location in Traverse City, I knew there was no turning back for me. Becoming the next franchise owner was my focus.

It took a few months – and a lot of help from family members – to turn this “diamond in the rough” house into an adorable shop. My daughter Kim has joined me in this new venture and is our store manager. She has an abundance of cheese knowledge and also spends much of her free time learning more and sharing her new found knowledge with our staff.

I believe much of the early positive reception since opening our doors on October 2 is because of the increasing interest in artisan foods – quality foods that come with a good story or rich history as our cheeses do. We also have a staff of cheese mongers who are passionate about cheese. You see that cheese love every day at the shop.

Our mission is to offer the best customer service, share little known cheese facts and make sure everyone leaves The Cheese Lady with something they will truly enjoy eating and sharing.

My greatest joy as a new business owner is when I am complimented by customers on a knowledgeable staff, great customer service and bringing our passion and The Cheese Lady “try it before you buy it” concept to town.

See you in the shop soon!

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