Bergen Record Article, 7/29/08

Elise Ung wrote a great article, accompanied by some great photos, for today's Bergen Record about the cheese shop. It was highlighted at the top of the Better Living Section, and was featured on the back page of the same section.

You can see it online here:

or read it below...

Allendale shop purveys local farmstead cheeses

Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Last updated: Tuesday July 29, 2008, EDT 6:30 AM

Michael Mahle always wanted to own a cheese shop. He even had visions of what it would look like. And Bondgard, the shop in Allendale he opened last month, is exactly that vision (if you switch around a marble counter and a refrigerator).

You won't find 300 types of cheeses at Bondgard. Instead, Mahle is emphasizing quality over quantity, with a focus on local farmstead cheese - mostly from New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Vermont, a collection "that people don't necessarily have a chance to get anywhere else." He plans to offer 50 to 75 cheeses from places like Bobolink Dairy in Vernon, Valley Shepherd Creamery in Long Valley and Cato Corner Farm in Colchester, Conn.

"These are the ones we tried and tested and think are good, and we think you will, too," said Mahle, 33. (He'll also carry popular imported cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano and Manchego, for those who come in looking for them.)

Mahle is an Allendale native who recently moved back after several years living in Manhattan. He attended the Institute of Culinary Education and was later a communications manager for the Zagat Survey. But cheese was always his passion; he liked exploring the differences and nuances of different kinds. "You can never get bored, there are so many exciting cheeses out there."

Bondgard - the name is Swedish for "farm" or "farmstead" - is in a former television repair shop that Mahle restored, even taking out layers of wallpaper and plaster to display some lovely exposed brick in the front. The shop also sells sandwiches on Balthazar bread, cupcakes and other baked goods by Allendale caterer Carin Marino (Mahle's mother-in-law), coffee and other cheese accompaniments like honey and crackers.

Mahle also plans to offer private catering. And each Friday, anyone can show up between 6 and 9 p.m. with their own wine or beer and for $15, the staff will lay out samples of several different kinds of cheese, meat and bread.

Bondgard blog: cheeseshopblog.blogspot.com

Michael Mahle always wanted to own a cheese shop. He even had visions of what it would look like. And Bondgard, the shop in Allendale he opened last month, is exactly that vision (if you switch around a marble counter and a refrigerator).

You won't find 300 types of cheeses at Bondgard. Instead, Mahle is emphasizing quality over quantity, with a focus on local farmstead cheese - mostly from New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Vermont, a collection "that people don't necessarily have a chance to get anywhere else." He plans to offer 50 to 75 cheeses from places like Bobolink Dairy in Vernon, Valley Shepherd Creamery in Long Valley and Cato Corner Farm in Colchester, Conn.

"These are the ones we tried and tested and think are good, and we think you will, too," said Mahle, 33. (He'll also carry popular imported cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano and Manchego, for those who come in looking for them.)

Mahle is an Allendale native who recently moved back after several years living in Manhattan. He attended the Institute of Culinary Education and was later a communications manager for the Zagat Survey. But cheese was always his passion; he liked exploring the differences and nuances of different kinds. "You can never get bored, there are so many exciting cheeses out there."

Bondgard - the name is Swedish for "farm" or "farmstead" - is in a former television repair shop that Mahle restored, even taking out layers of wallpaper and plaster to display some lovely exposed brick in the front. The shop also sells sandwiches on Balthazar bread, cupcakes and other baked goods by Allendale caterer Carin Marino (Mahle's mother-in-law), coffee and other cheese accompaniments like honey and crackers.

Mahle also plans to offer private catering. And each Friday, anyone can show up between 6 and 9 p.m. with their own wine or beer and for $15, the staff will lay out samples of several different kinds of cheese, meat and bread.

Bondgard blog: cheeseshopblog.blogspot.com

SmartMoney.com Article

The cheese shop and I have been featured in an article today by Diana Ransom called Location, Location, Location on SmartMoney.com. Click the link above or read the text below. Thanks Diana!



TO MICHAEL MAHLE, picking the right location for his newly opened artisanal cheese shop, Bondgard, ranks up there with creating an air-tight business plan and landing seed funding. In fact, it's so important that he spent over a year debating about where to set up shop.

Since Mahle lives in the New York City area, numerous avenues were open to him. However, after canvassing business-brokerage web sites and analyzing the demographics of various towns, he finally settled on his hometown of Allendale, an affluent community in Northern New Jersey. "I needed an area where the population would accept a cheese shop," says Mahle, "and this place was perfect." Allendale's residents, he says, "tend to be more worldly and willing to pay a premium for quality."

Even though Mahle chose to park his business in a familiar setting, he's certain that the time he spent gathering information will pay dividends as he develops marketing campaigns and considers branching out to other locations in the future.

To be sure, it's optimal for a business owner to have a firsthand knowledge about a location, as it lowers the chance of setting up shop in an unexpectedly bad spot. However, even if you live down the street, there are a number of factors to consider before signing a multiyear lease. Here are a few:

Know Your Customer

Michael Mahle chose to locate his cheese shop, Bondgard, in Allendale, N.J., for its well-traveled, cheese-loving residents.

Your first task is to figure out who your customers will be, suggests Dorothy Finell, author of "The Specialty Shop," a book about creating a profitable retail business. Think about who your products or services appeal to...women? parents of small children? golf enthusiasts? Consider ages, too, says Finell, who adds that knowing specifically who you're targeting can help you both pinpoint the best locations and weed out the bad ones. "You can't even plunk the best of businesses in an area that's not conducive to the clientele that you're looking for," she says. "That's business suicide."

If you have an area in mind, make sure the area's demographics chime with your intended customer. You can usually research an area's average cost of living and median home income at local chambers of commerce, city hall or just by asking existing business owners. Check out demographic web sites such as ePodunk and ZIPskinny. Additionally, Yahoo's and AOL's real estate sites offer demographic information as well.

Timing Is Everything

Once you figure out whom to reach, Martin Lehman, a counselor in New York for SCORE, an affiliate of the Small Business Administration, recommends thinking about how and, more importantly, when your potential customer might consume your products or services. For instance, a prospective deli owner might prize a spot near an office park, while a restaurateur specializing in brunch would likely prefer a more residential setting.

Speaking from experience, Lehman cautions that areas that appear busy with pedestrian traffic might be deceptive. As a former owner of several women's apparel stores, Lehman once set up shop near a number of hot lunchtime restaurants, showcasing clothing in his store's big windows. However, he soon found that the crowds that came to the area only wanted sandwiches — and when they left, foot traffic was scarce. "I could have put a rack outside with a dollar bill hanging on it, and it would still be there," he says.

But Proximity Is Paramount

Proximity to complementary or similar businesses is also a huge determinate of success for many types of businesses, says Finell. For example, she says, "you don't want a tattoo parlor next to an antique shop." Instead, look for like-minded businesses. For instance, she says, "the type of person who would be shopping for antiques might also be interested in a linen shop." Or, she says, some businesses thrive when they're surrounded by competitors, which tend to share the same target audience. A fast-food franchise, for example, might consider locating near other fast-food businesses.

Additionally, for small businesses that rely heavily on foot traffic "being near a bus line, a subway line or parking is usually an absolute must," says Finell. Customers of these businesses (say, a retail shop or gift store) often make impulse-driven purchases — so location is more important than marketing, she says.

Customers who have convenience in mind also want to be able to enter and exit an establishment with ease, especially if they're driving, says Jon Schallert, a marketing and business location consultant in Longmont, Colo. For example, he says, being located on an extremely busy street won't help unless the turns in and out are easy and parking is available.

The Search Begins

After you have a better idea of what you're looking for, start your search. Mahle from Bondgard used business-broker web sites Vested Business Brokers and BusinessesforSale.com to search for potential store locations, although he ultimately landed his current location after spotting a for-rent sign in the window. Researching a location this way can help you get to know an area and learn about comparable prices that similar businesses pay, which can help you negotiate rent with landlords.

Business brokers can be helpful to use, as they generally provide demographic information and possibly the history of a certain location, according to Schallert. For instance, if you're planning on opening a bookstore, and the previous tenant also ran a bookstore, you'll want to know that, he says. After all, if the location didn't work for another business, it might not work for you.

Bergen Record Tidbit

The Bergen Record's Food Editor Elisa Ung came to the shop last week, and a photographer followed a few days later. We'll be featured in an upcoming article but there are already some photos up on Bergen Record's website and in Sunday's Better Living section of the paper, was a mention about the cheese shop. You can read it here.

The text of the tidbit is here:

TODAY

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Cheese Sacrifice Purchase Day: What's it about? We're not really sure, except it appears to be about sacrificing cheese so you can catch mice. Forget it. Instead, head to the region's newest cheese shop, Bondgard, whose shelves are lined with New Jersey, New York, Vermont and Connecticut cheeses, as well as artisan breads and homemade desserts. 85 W. Allendale Ave., Allendale; 201-825-0185; bondgard.com.

July 5, 2008

July 3, 2008 - Family and Friends event

July 4, 2008

July 2, 2008

The cases are up and almost ready for use...

June 27, 2008

We had some more progress today. The first major shipment of cheese, cured meats and crackers and stuff came in. Chris from Balthazar Bakery came by today with some bread samples and some that we will dry out and use as display. A good day.

Antiques

I'm not really an antique guy per se, but some things were appropriate for the shop. The first image is of antique milk bottle caps from Pine Tree Dairy which is long gone. Now in its place, since the 50s/60s, is Northern Highlands Regional High School - where both my wife Danna and I graduated from. Also in the shop are some antique cheese graters, cow bells and milk bottles from the 20s, 30s, and other decades and some other things
from here and there.

June 26

Here are some pics of the progress on June 26.