The oldest cheese shop in Manhattan's Little Italy — and considered the oldest in America — is holding out for a miracle.
After financial struggles and court battles, Alleva Dairy has less than a month to leave the only location it has known in its 130-year history, at the corner of Mulberry Street and Grand Street.
"We’re supposed to be out by March 5th," said owner Karen King — meaning it could be less than 30 days before the end of an era.
King and her husband bought Alleva Dairy a decade ago.
"My husband was born and raised in Little Italy, his name was Cha Cha and he was the unofficial mayor of Little Italy," said King.
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When Cha Cha died in 2015, King made it her mission to keep Alleva going. But then the pandemic hit, and businesses in the tourist-centric area were hit hard by the shutdowns.
"There was literally like no one on the streets but we decided that we had to do something," she said.
Business had slowly been getting back on track for the neighborhood staple known for its fresh cheeses (like the mozzarella made fresh every day) and massive sandwiches — especially after having expanded to become a café, offering things like arancini. They tried selling ready-made meals and grocery items to stay afloat.
"It helped but it didn’t bring in the money that I needed for the rent," King said.
But the shop fell two years behind on rent payments and filed for bankruptcy. A months-long legal battle with the building's landlord over $500,000 in back rent ensued, as that landlord refused to honor the remainder of the company's 10-year lease.
In April 2022, King said she was willing to pay the money, but just wanted time in order to do so. But the landlord was demanding the money, and Alleva recently received its final deal: The store will be forgiven its debt, but must leave the building.
"I’m heartbroken. My heart is broken but I’m a fighter," King said — adding that she's still holding out hope that something could help save the store. Not only for the customers, but for her late husband, who loved Alleva as much as she does.
"In a way, losing Alleva dairy is like losing him all over again. Isn’t that ridiculous? But that’s how I feel. And I don’t want to cry because I’m going to fight," said King.
The landlord did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
King hopes to be able to open Alleva Dairy somewhere else. She wasn't quite sure what that would look like, but knows no matter what, it won't be the same as the landmark shop where the shop has been selling cheese since 1892.
"We may be losing the location and you never know maybe we’ll have a miracle but the quality of what we present here and the food that we make and what people come to us for, I’m taking that with me.”
