Another Massachusetts cheese shop announced it will be closing its doors at the end of summer. After eight years of “bringing great cheese and happiness to Brookline,” Curds & Co will celebrate its last day of operation on September 12.
Curds & Co is the third cheese shop to announce closures in recent weeks, joining The Cheese Shop of Salem, which will close on September 5, and The Grey Barn and Farm, which announced it will pause operations at the end of the summer season. Each business cited rising costs, changing markets, and a commitment to fair wages as reasons for closing.
Before deciding to close, Curds & Co had been actively searching for a new owner to continue the shop’s legacy. As a 2024 culture article noted, the founders hoped to find a buyer who could maintain the shop’s community-oriented mission and talented team while growing the business. Despite a turnkey listing and support from the current owners, no suitable buyer was found. In their September closing statement, Jenn and Matt Mason wrote, “As you may know, we have been actively searching for a new team to own the store since we have moved to Sicily in 2023… Unfortunately, our search [for] a new owner has not been successful.”
The Cheese Shop of Salem, meanwhile, is closing on its 10th anniversary after a decade of “cheese, wine, and community that has shaped our lives in the most meaningful ways.” The founders emphasized that they chose to close while the business still reflected their values, writing, “Like many small businesses, we’ve faced rising costs and tighter margins – and we could keep going if we were willing to cut back on wages, benefits, and the things that make this shop a place of joy… Preserving those values matters more to us than pushing forward in a way that compromises them.”
The Grey Barn and Farm, a farmstead creamery with a robust farmstand on Martha’s Vineyard, is pausing operations at the end of the summer season. Over the years, the farm gained recognition for its award-winning cheeses, including Prufrock, which won gold at the 2021 World Cheese Awards.
All three businesses are inviting customers to celebrate these milestones, stock up on cheese, attend final classes and events, and share memories with staff and the community. For the owners and teams, it’s a chance to close on a high note, grateful for the support of their customers, employees, and local communities over the years.
Josie Krogh
Josie Krogh is culture's Digital Strategy Lead. She earned her master's degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics from The University of Georgia. Josie developed a love of food while working at farmstands in the D.C. area as a young adult, and discovered her love of cheese while living and working on a dairy farm on Martha's Vineyard. Josie currently lives in Catskill, NY.
