MURRAY’S CHEESE: NEW YORK’S ONE-STOP CHEESE SHOP
When I found out that I was going to meet with a manager from Murray’s Cheese, I was completely ecstatic. You see, cheese is like a religion to me. I could eat it with every single meal, seven days a week. I’ve never met a cheese I didn’t love.And, yes, it’s true, I have been known to frequent Murray’s Cheese at least once a month to go on a tasting-spree. So to have the opportunity to actually meet with one of their assistant managers, Max, and ask all of my burning questions was a really cool experience.
Murray’s Cheese was founded in 1940 by Murray Greenberg, and, according to their website, “Murray’s is proud to be a Greenwich Village-based business and part of the neighborhood’s rich food history”. The second you first walk in to Murray’s, you know it’s the real deal. It’s covered floor to ceiling with cheese – big wheels of parmesan, slices of brie, basically any cheese that you could imagine.
I met with Max, an assistant manager at Murray’s Cheese and cheese expert. After letting me try all the cheese I could possibly eat at 10 AM, he told me about how they ran things at one of the most famous (if not the most famous) cheese shops in New York City. He told me that the original location is actually right across the street, and they moved simply because their business was growing in size and they needed a bigger space to accommodate that. They also used to make their cheese on site, but have since opened a warehouse in Long Island City where all the cheese-making happens.
What I was most impressed by was how knowledgeable the staff was. There are so many different cheeses in the store, and all staff members are familiar with almost all of them. I asked Max if they only take people who are already cheese-savvy, and he laughed. “Nope, most of the people that come here are creative people – actors or singers,” he said. However, after an intensive two-day training combined with dealing with these delicious cheeses day in and day out, you start to become a bit of an expert.
By the end of our meeting, it was crystal-clear why Murray’s Cheese is the go-to place for New York City cheese lovers – their staff is passionate and friendly, their assortment of cheeses is insane, but most importantly, their product is the best in the city.