Cheese Louise! Un-brie-lievable

Pulling Back the Rind on Local Cheese Shop

As you walk into Scott and Joe in Nyack, you are immediately greeted by overwhelmingly delicious looking hunks of cheese. They are lined up, perfectly placed and labeled in a gleaming display fridge. Oh, and there’s Scott. Scott lives up perfectly to his self description of “very charming and very excited to see [the customers]”. He owns Scott and Joe with his husband, who is named, you guessed it, Joe. 

Scott and Joe met in 2004 and spent most of their weekends shopping at various markets in Philadelphia. They would then cook for each other with the exciting variety of their day’s haul. This practice evolved alongside their relationship as they explored new countries, cultures and markets, eventually leading them to settling down in Nyack. “We were customers of this store first” Scott shared, and when they were presented with the possibility to purchase the shop, the two simply felt that “…this is correct”. 

With a broad smile on his face, Scott excitedly shared his passion for experimenting with new recipes. “We just start with the best and you’re going to end up with the very best!”, he said, referencing the specially sourced ingredients available in the shop. Scott is devoted to supporting customers in developing their own gustatory preferences, expressing that he “…want[s] to empower people to find what they really like”. According to him, the best tactic to develop your preferences is to try honing in on the connection between food, memory and emotion. An example Scott shared focused on a memory of him and his grandmother eating cherries together. He encourages customers to utilize potent food-based memories such as his example to inform their choices. Scott then works for customers as a curator to effortlessly pair palettes with nostalgia. 

Food is also an invitation to create connections. This has certainly proved true for Scott and Joe, as Scott offered his take on the culture and community of Nyack. “Nyack is incredibly accepting, incredibly generous, [and] they want to make those connections”. As customers come in to peruse the shelves stocked with colorful preserves, condiments, tinned fish and more, Scott takes this opportunity to connect. Whether it is cracking lighthearted jokes or engaging in deeper conversation, he states that these moments of connectivity are what “…fills [his] cup”. 

Scott is a man of his word when it comes to community building. The shop offers classes twice a month for those interested in a “choose your own adventure” style cheese and wine experience. On September 15th, they will be hosting “A Summer Soiree” in Nyack. This five course dinner will be set against the Hudson River, and will benefit the Rockland County Pride Center. At time of publication this dining experience is sold out, but it is sure to be followed by more spectacular events. One such event is their 2025 France and Italy trip titled “Scott and Joe: Adventures for the Food Obsessed”. Foodies can access more information about the store and events at scottandjoe.co.