Local Business: ‘Cheese Cartel’ Launches Successfully on Broad Street

News Flash: The cartels have come to Falls Church!

But don’t be alarmed. We’re talking about Cheese Cartel at 922 W. Broad St. in Founders Row. 

A “specialty cheese and wine shop for enthusiasts,” Cheese Cartel had its opening ribbon-cutting ceremony just this past April, but is already off to a brilliant start. Showcasing the “finest specialty cheeses, cured meats, olives, tapenades, fresh baguettes, crackers, preserves, chocolates, nuts, and gluten-free options,” as well as “cut-to-order cheeses, grab-and-go baguette sandwiches, and freshly made charcuterie boards," the shop has become an alluring destination for many City shoppers.

Giving in to Cheese Cartel’s gravitational pull on Broad Street, The Falls Church Independent also popped in recently to meet the shop’s founder, Alyssa Romashko. We were curious how, in this challenging economy, her entrepreneurial venture was faring and what sort of business model(s) she was implementing.

And we came away impressed with Cheese Cartel’s successful strategy of providing maximal opportunities for community interaction – either within the shop’s inviting upscale deli spaces, or at outside venues, including customers’ homes, through easy, flexible catering. By providing high-quality, connoisseur-level fare and enticing in-store shopping opportunities for select cheese/wine related dining table and kitchen pantry products, Romashko’s entrepreneurial venture has already proven successful.

Romashko’s commitment to fostering community is highlighted on Cheese Cartel’s website: “Gather with friends for artisanal cheeses, wine, and charcuterie, enjoy a baguette sandwich, [or] pre-order a freshly-made charcuterie board....The Cheese Cartel offers something for everyone in a warm, welcoming environment.” 

Cheese Cartel, the site continues, “is a passion project for its founder, Alyssa [Romashko], who was inspired by cherished nights and holidays spent with family — laughing, sharing stories, and gathering around a charcuterie board. We believe cheese is more than food — it's an experience. That’s why we personally-select exceptional cheeses and wines and proudly partner with local artisans and vendors to bring you the highest quality, most thoughtfully sourced offerings. Whether you're a seasoned cheese lover or just beginning your journey, The Cheese Cartel is your destination for discovery, delight, and connection.”

A glance at Cheese Cartel’s Instagram site (@the.cheese.cartel) reveals, almost to an absurd degree, the shop’s commitment to hosting gatherings and events of all types. Here’s a sampling: 

• Thursday Trivia Nights
• Ladies Night
• Friday Yappy Hour Adoptions
• Cloud 9 Cotton Candy Pop Up
• Meet the [Wine] Makers
• Sip and Shop [with Coco Cameo Vintage Shop]
• Knit in Public Day
• Sangria Sunday
• Mother’s Day
• Kentucky Derby Day
• Earth Day Happy Hour

And, finally – drum roll please…

• “Happy Moldy Cheese Day!”

The Origin Story

We asked Romashko to describe what initially motivated her to launch Cheese Cartel. “Well, I grew up in the Chicago area and ... there was a cheese place I loved there,” she began. “And when my husband and I moved out to the suburbs, they opened one there, and we were like, ‘Sweet! They followed us.' And then we moved here, and there was no cheese place. And I have celiac. So, having gluten-free [options] is also important. So, once the kids were settled in school, I wanted to open a wine and cheese shop. And I live in Falls Church, so I wanted to stay nice and local.”

And what sort of glutenfree options does Cheese Cartel provide? “Well, we have glutinous breads from the Lyon Bakery in Maryland and then gluten free bread from the Happy Tart. But we don’t have any dairy free cheeses. That's a little tough. People have been asking us if we have some vegan [offerings], so I have to try.”

As we chatted, the Thursday Trivia Night host was busy setting up near the shop window. “Thursdays now are Trivia Nights, and we're doing a Board Game Night later this month,” Romashko said. “And we usually have Talk Tiles to Me mahjong groups come over here. So, yeah, we’re kind of figuring out our groove.”

And customers have been most positive so far, Romashko said. “Really positive, yes! People have been really excited about the charcuterie board sandwiches. We're getting a lot more preorder boards for events or, you know, to take over to the mahjong [group] and things like that.”

Cheese Cartel has already grown to supporting six staff plus Romashko, but, with school starting, she’ll be looking for more part-time help. “We had three kids who went off to college and left just a couple weeks ago,” she said. “So we’re looking to hire for the fall. I'm assuming and hoping the holidays are a busier season with preorder boards and that sort of thing. And also [ordering] out for events. So having more staff will definitely be helpful.” 

Fortunately, staff receive a discount on the store’s cheeses. And they often participate in tastings because “we need to know our products,” Romashko said. 

Not Too Much Red Tape

So far, the City has been most helpful to Cheese Cartel, Romashko said. Asked if the red tape of launching was difficult to manage, she said: “No, I mean, people scared me about permitting and stuff, but it all went really smoothly. Once we started to build out, it only took maybe three months. Because we had Monarch Construction who's local and were great and then an interior designer and architect – but it all went well.” 

Launching Challenges

We asked what’s been the most challenging aspect of starting up the business. “I think, just personally figuring out the routine of not, you know, always being around for the kids and everything, and kind of having to change up the schedule. But, really, it's been pretty seamless…. I mean, I’m very tired a lot of the time, but I'm so happy with how everything’s turned out. There are a bunch of neighbors here right now. It's just kind of nice.” 

Romashko's 'Favorite Thing About Cheese'

We were curious to know what Romashko’s “favorite thing about cheese” is. “I like that, especially even just in the few months we’ve been here, people have expanded their palates and are all of a sudden more excited to try what's funky and new,” she said. “And I mean, for me growing up, cheese boards were always just a part of a family night – just chatting and having wine and cheese. My siblings and I were all together when I came up with the name for the place having cheese and wine. And so it's just, I feel, very community building.”

We wondered whether cheese making or selling was part of the Romashko family ancestral heritage. “Well, we’re Polish, and, you know, some of the first recorded cheese making was done in Poland. But it’s not typically known for cheese now.” 

Having grown up in Chicago, Romashko said, there’s a large Polish population in the Windy City. “But, my siblings and I just love cheese and got me into it and it just kind of became our thing to always just do wine and cheese nights. Then, when I moved here and there wasn't a local wine and cheese place, I was like, well, I can have a try.”

It Takes a Village

Romashko had never tried launching a business before. “This was my first time. But, my family was incredibly helpful throughout the journey,” she said. “And the color palette [for the shop] was based on my parents’ kitchen growing up. And my sister was on all the design calls. So it's been a big family effort. The City of Falls Church, friends, neighbors. And I mean, most everyone who works here is either a neighbor or came for a Happy Hour and decided they wanted to stay and see if they could work here. Very nice. Yeah. So it's a great group of people here that are all local and just enjoy being here.”

While Romashko's family has “scattered all around” since living in Chicago, her parents are still there and were able to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony in April. And they recognized the kitchen color palette when they took a tour of the shop. 

We wondered about Romashko’s new family situation since moving to Falls Church. “So. I have two kids who are nine and 12, and they're at Lemon Road and Kilmer, so it’s nice and local. And the kids like coming to Cheese Cartel. “Yes. They are so proud and excited,” she said. “It's really sweet because they have a lot of friends and my daughter now asks for our sandwiches for lunch…. And they love coming in and helping out where they can. They think it’s very cool. And I guess they spread the word at school.” So now school field trips and other kid-friendly events are being organized. Recently, a local Girl Scout troop has shown interest. 

Romashko’s husband, an attorney, “helps out where he can…. but kind of stays hands off,” she said. “I’m 100 percent the owner and that’s great.” But, it’s kind of “nice to have a tax attorney for a husband who can ask the right questions.” 

Business Partnerships

For Romashko, local vendors and partnerships are key to developing community connections. Several local business leaders have stopped by to explore how they might collaborate. “Like the florist, Amy Cushing of Catherine Lee Florals, is just around the corner," she said. "We also have Del Ray Honey. We just got new linens in from Line and Nest. He's local. Craig, of Craig’s [Woodcrafts], does some of our charcuterie boards. And then we have boards from Carrie's in McLean. She does all local Virginia fallen wood for hers.”

For most of Cheese Cartel’s cheeses and wines, however, imports and non-local suppliers are most desired by customers.

Overall, Romashko describes the first few months of starting up very positively. “It's just all been a bit of a whirlwind, but really positive,” she said. “The community has been amazing. Local business owners are always offering to help. It's just such a great community….”

And, Summer Restaurant Week “was really great,” she said. “It brought in so many new people. That was awesome. And I'm excited for the next events that'll come. And we also did the Falls Church Foodie Trek and that was really nice.”

By Christopher Jones