242787 Wed Apr 14 00:02:24 -0700 2004 24 19 Outer Boroughs 0 1289321 When it opened in the mini-mall on bedord av. i really liked this place. great addition to the williamsburg area. the prices were a little high but within reason for the convenience. recently, seemingly coinciding with all their "best of" awards in new york mag and village voice, they seem to have gotten greedy and jacked the prices up, way out of wack with the neighborhood. average prices seem to have gone from around $12 lb to $20 lb. anybody noticed the same? if Eli Zabar wants to charge $10 for a jelly donut on the UES, fine, but $30 cheeses in williamburg doesn't make much sense. Wed Apr 14 00:02:24 -0700 2004 0 mln43 1 1289330 I have to agree. I really like the place - when we had special bottles of wine, they picked perfect pairings. But they had a huge array of cheeses, from inexpensive to pricey, and now, it seems like they've dropped the lower priced items, and everything is expensive. On a side note - I find this about Uva, the wine store across the 'hall'. At first, you could find a whole selection of great wines for $10 or so, and now they only have a couple $12 wines and the major range is $18-$25 or so. Maybe rent went up. Wed Apr 14 09:59:05 -0700 2004 1289321 0 sara z 2 1289393 OK- fair enough about Bedford Cheese. They are expensive--despite the owners blue collar life syle--but very high quality and the staff is extremely nice. I also like the other items they stock besides cheese, like the jams and seasonings. Bring back Provencal Seasoning please!~ Regarding UVA: I don't like UVA. I have compared the same wine from UVA to wines from other stores in Manhattan and Brooklyn and UVA is ALWAYS more expensive, even though providing "affordable wines" that meet the owner's standards is their little "theme." I get annoyed by the hypocricy of that. Regarding the "owner's standards": I have shopped their recommendations and can't understand why they pick the wines they pick. What I have tasted tends to be second rate. A wine store by Graham Avenue L stop called the Bottle Shop is much better and much more fairly priced. Thu Apr 15 16:45:07 -0700 2004 1289330 0 Sabine 3 1289845 I just compared several bottles I normally buy at UVA with the prices at the Bottle Shop (the new location on bedford that opened Saturday) and they are NOT cheaper, so I really don't know where you get that. In the end, I think you shop where you have the best experience. I've never had a bad one at UVA, and in ref. to the earlier thread about Bedford Cheese- I've been a customer from day 1, and even though I'm moving out of the 'hood, I'm going to continue to make the trek from south brooklyn to williamsburg for their excellent selection and a staff that is funny, knowlegable, and makes my shopping experience a great one. Yes, the prices have risen- do any of you pay attention to the weak dollar? The euro is killing us! try and plan a vacation over there and tell me it isn't more expensive. It is a cost of doing business, so get over it and buy some cheese already. Mon Apr 26 13:29:45 -0700 2004 1289393 0 steph 4 1289847 My guess is you work for UVA because otherwise you would admit UVA is over priced. It just is. I have ONLY been to the wine store called Bottle Shop at Graham Ave, not Bedford. However, I could list a hundred places cheaper than UVA and with better selections, from the upper east side to soho to cobble hill. UVA is filling a void in Billyburg, and becasue there is no real competition and they paint themselves as knowledgable wine merchants, for the moment people shop there. But let's behonest with ourselves and our fellow chowhounds- UVA is second rate. No one can deny that Bedford Cheese is quality. The same cannot be said for UVA. Mon Apr 26 13:54:14 -0700 2004 1289845 0 Sabine 5 1289849 I have had nothing but very friendly and very helpful service at UVA. They seem to have a large selection of wines in the $10-14 range and I never feel cheap or get less help there when I say that I want to buy something inexpensive. Mon Apr 26 15:02:43 -0700 2004 1289847 0 sarahoc 6 1289862 UVA is overrated! And the owners suck! Mon Apr 26 17:11:21 -0700 2004 1289849 0 feenie 7 1289876 do you care to elaborate? Mon Apr 26 21:00:08 -0700 2004 1289862 0 sarahoc 6 1290038 I also have had pretty solid visits to this store, have never felt preassure to spend more than I wanted, and have generally been very satisfied with the recommendations that they make. Wed May 26 11:21:31 -0700 2004 1289849 0 Alex 5 1290031 I think you're missing the point of a smaller wine shop like UVA. First there are plenty of under $10 bottles at UVA. Second, the Euro has increased the cost of European by 1/3 raising the cost of some wines by $5-7. And third, it's unfair to compare the prices at smaller shops like UVA to Astor or some other places, b/c they are either buying in bulk (getting a significant discount. That's why you'll find Yellow Tail for $5 at some places) or they have an incredible rent deal. I hear people pay $3k month for those spaces in the minimall. Also I think Uva has raised the playing field in the neighborhood. If it wasn't for Uva, we'd still be buying wine from behind bulletproof glass w/o any idea if it was good or not... Sat May 22 15:39:53 -0700 2004 1289847 0 jays 2 1289432 I too have noticed lately that there were more expensive cheeses at the store and fewer moderately priced ones. I found some yummy inexpensive cheeses a few weeks ago, but lately have seen a lot of $15-30/lb cheeses. Yikes! However, I believe in supporting local business and will continue to shop there as often as I can. The store is a much needed addition to the neighborhood and I hope they stay. Shopping in Manhattan for lower priced cheese wouldn't be cost effective either once the commute is factored in. Owners of the shop please take note of the discussion and bring back more mid price cheeses. Maria Fri Apr 16 13:16:41 -0700 2004 1289330 0 Maria 1 1289332 Yup, sadly I too must agree, and I love those guys, have been going since Day 1. But the other day I commented on the overall higher pricing and he said "blame it on Bush", that it's higher import costs and that it will come down again --does that seem plausible? Wed Apr 14 10:18:40 -0700 2004 1289321 0 Marella 2 1289333 Import cost - yes, they have gone up. Add to that the low dollar value and you have a problem. Especially if the items have been imported fom the EU. But if you are talking a price jump (on average) of 8 bucks/lbs then I have to say, that's a wee bit high. Wed Apr 14 10:34:42 -0700 2004 1289332 0 knoedel 3 1289336 There was some bizarre legislation leveraged a while ago to target the French - I believe in retaliation for them not importing beef from us. It seems that cheese shops across the board have raised prices around 25% in the past year or so... Bierkraft, Blue Apron, and Murray's - I believe - have raised prices similarly. I stick primarily to Zabar's and East Village Cheese as that's about the level I can afford... Wed Apr 14 11:11:01 -0700 2004 1289333 0 Lambretta76 4 1289339 Some of their cheeses are direct imports without FDA approval. French Dairy Farms are shipping their chees via UPS or Fedex in small amounts so I don't think there is anything to do with french trade agreements. Dollar is very weak now, fuel is up. shipping up. overall business cost is up. Figure it out. Wed Apr 14 12:24:06 -0700 2004 1289336 0 Big Joe 5 1289371 Great analysis. Really. All that said -- and I'm still figuring -- they've definitely raised prices more than any cost hike they've suffered. And, as earlier posters have said, they've definitely cut out a large number of the "low-end" (if $10+/lb can be considered low-end) cheeses. Not to mention the mid-range (~$15/lb) cheeses. Great resource still for the neighborhood, but they're not our friends. Only for when you need good cheese and don't have time or chance to go to a more reasonable place in the city. Wed Apr 14 22:43:47 -0700 2004 1289339 0 Jim Palmer 6 1289391 I believe that the prices have gone up: per new fda & custom tariffs, poor dollar to euro conversion, difficulty in acquiring small production cheeses due to tighter regulations. the prices on quality cheeses are skyrocketing across the country. you goto the bedford cheese shop if your looking for quality not cost. Thu Apr 15 15:20:38 -0700 2004 1289371 0 chris stanchi 7 1290020 I arrived 10 minutes before the store was supposed to close this Sunday (after checking their website) and found a 'closed' sign on the door. There were still customers inside and when one left I stuck my head in and asked if I could just grab a couple a chunks a cheese. I got a resounding 'no' from the owner. I pointed out that it was still 10 minutes until his posted closing time, to which he responded that his watch said it was after 7. When I pointed out that my cell phone clock was connected to a satellite and is always the same time as every other clock (I just check it against the US 'official' time, it was 1 second slow)I use he told me that he didn't care, because his watch 'is connected to the cheese.' I asked if he really wanted to lose a loyal customer for life for the sake of a little inconvenience, to which he responded that I was rude for showing up 'late' (even though I wasn't). It didn't stop there, but I will. Needless to say he was extremely rude and I will never, ever, spend the extra money to go to this formerly lovely shop. Maybe he was just having a bad day, but oh well, one bad day, one less customer, and one more bad review. I guess they have grown too big for their britches, since I wouldn't expect such outright contempt for a loyal patron at a 'real' local small business. Hope they change their attitude soon, or their high prices and holier than though additude is going to scare away all of their business. The chees isn't good enough to put up with the BS and the high prices. Look elsewhere for your cheese needs! Mon May 17 20:09:40 -0700 2004 1289391 0 Alex 8 1290030 after shopping at the bedford cheese shop since they opened i have found the staff to be more than accomodating. they have let me in past closing on several occasions without grief. perhaps you should spend less time calibrating your cellphone clock (for as we know satellites never fail) and get to the shop earlier. Sat May 22 12:25:35 -0700 2004 1290020 0 christopher stanchi 9 1290037 Again- I can't speak for your experiences (I'm happy for you that they let you in, maybe I smell or something), and this isn't about calibrating clocks, it's about 1 experience, and 1 owner acting like a real jerk to a customer. I'm not trying to convince you not to go- just trying to let potential customers know that this place may be nice some times, but not when the owner is having a bad day, so be forewarned. Past behavior is a very good indication of how someone will act in the future... Wed May 26 11:19:12 -0700 2004 1290030 0 alex 8 1290034 i think that youve taken yourself a bit too seriously there pal. ive gone there for a while now, even called ahead and placed orders. ive never had a problem with service. maybe you should reconsider your harsh remarks. i heard those guys pack heat, and occasionaly read this site. crudler. Mon May 24 16:29:44 -0700 2004 1290020 0 crudler 9 1290036 I won't reconsider my harsh remarks- they should reconsider how they treat customers. I have shopped at the store many times, and have had mostly good experiences, but the owner was beyond a jerk to me. I do want to make one clarifying remark- the other guys who've worked there when I've gone in the past are awesome (not sure their names), they always have good recomendations and are very accomadationg, but the owner has a stick up ass. It seems to me that a small business like this would value customers who go out of their way to spend their hard earned dollars there, but apparently this isn't the case. Go if you like, I'm just posting my one bad experience, and honestly the owner may never again act like a moronic dolt to anyone else, but be warned, he might. And as far as them carrying heat, paaaallleeeeaasssee, if they wanna get hot, I can make it boil. I hope they do read this sight, and realize that they need to work on their PR. But- if they want to talk directly to me- my e-mail is listed above, and I stand 100% by what I said. Wed May 26 11:12:38 -0700 2004 1290034 0 Alex 6 1289392 i would like to post a general reply to the plethora of messages that i have just read in regards to the prices of cheese. as the purchaser for the shop, and a purchaser of similar products for the last decade, i feel that it is important to actually respond based on fact and not opinion. in the last two years, the prices of farmstead cheeses have increased(especially imports) by over 50 percent. i have witnessed this and fought against it to the best of my ability. i have worked for the so-called "reasonably priced" cheese purveyors in mahattan, and can assure you that they are experiencing the same sort of thing. as for any attempt on our part to "jack up prices" i am taken aback by. i am a person who walks home from work, has trouble making rent, and lives a simple blue collar life. i have no mercedes that i'm try ing to make payments on, nor do any of my colleagues to the best of my knowlegde. we try to support a tiny idustry that is in great danger of being squashed by large coorporate food elements within our country and government. we try to give the best quality cheeses at the prices that are available to us. please continue to support our efforts here. when the shop opened we had far more industrial cheeses, and we are now carrying farmstead and artisanal products. the true crime here is that one has to pay almost double the amount of dollars for handmade products than those products made by machines( this is true of almost all food made today im afraid). this is our battle to fight, we do it,and will continue to do so. thanks. greg and frank Thu Apr 15 15:45:33 -0700 2004 1289371 0 me 7 1289394 Amen to that..I went to the cheese shop at Artisinal the other day and the prices are also through the roof...seems like an industry wide issue. Didnt stop me from buying a lovely Le Chevron and a stinky ripe Epoisse - keep on keeping on guys. Thu Apr 15 16:55:52 -0700 2004 1289392 0 Mark M 7 1289523 Greg and Frank - I salute you and support you, and pray that more like-minded individuals will follow your lead! It is such a great thing to have your shop in the neighborhood, and to have access to the many wonderful cheeses you provide. Please keep up the good work. Best, Estee Mon Apr 19 13:41:46 -0700 2004 1289392 0 Estee Pierce