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“‘A what shop?’ They didn’t even understand that there could be a store that would sell only cheese.”
That was before 2004, when Jill Erber needed to help people understand cheese was not just cheddar or shredded mozzarella and, as we know now, is as serious and joyful a slice of the foodie landscape as heirloom tomatoes, ancient grains and local beer.
It’s been almost 15 years since Cheesetique debuted in Del Ray. Since then, the retail and restaurant operation opened in Shirlington and Ballston, and this April another location will surface in Mosaic.
The fourth shop replicates its predecessors, focusing equally on a cheese counter with charcuterie, pantry products (crackers, jams, chocolates) and a wall of wine along with a sit-down restaurant centered on cheese: grilled cheeses, salads, boards, mac and cheeses and a handful of entrees.
Erber has been eyeing Mosaic since its inception in 2012. The developers approached her, but she wasn’t ready to settle in such a new, unproven location. Edens, the company running the town center, had to “retrain an entire region for where to go,” says Erber of creating a commercial destination in Merrifield. And, she says, “small, independent retailers can’t weather that kind of growth curve,” if consumers aren’t immediately flocking to this section of Fairfax surrounded by Vienna, Tysons and Falls Church.
When DGS, a modern deli with a location in D.C., left Mosaic in the beginning of 2017, Edens again reached out to Erber. “Mosaic is a different place than it was five years ago,” she says, citing more residents and more anchor stores.
Besides finding the right fit, Erber, unlike many entrepreneurs, turned away from the city instead of toward it, keeping all four of her properties in Northern Virginia.
“I find that Northern Virginia is just this awesome area, with people that are interested in food,” says Erber. “And they’re underserved.” // Cheesetique: 2985 District Ave., Suite 115, Fairfax
