Murray's Cheese facts for kids
 |
|
Murray's Cheese shop
|
|
| Private | |
| Industry | Food |
| Fate | Acquired |
| Founded | 1962 c. in Greenwich Village, Manhattan |
| Founder | Murray Greenberg |
| Headquarters | Greenwich Village, , |
|
Number of locations
|
800+ (2021) |
| Services | Artisanal cheese and specialty foods retailer and wholesaler |
| Owner | Kroger Company |
Murray's Cheese is a well-known shop for artisanal cheese and other specialty foods. Artisanal foods are made by skilled people in small batches, not by large factories. The company started in New York City's Greenwich Village and has grown into a large business.
The first shop was part of an egg and dairy company. It later grew and even opened a restaurant in Manhattan called Murray's Cheese Bar in 2012. In 2017, the large supermarket company Kroger Company bought Murray's Cheese. By 2021, there were over 800 Murray's locations, many inside Kroger stores.
Contents
The History of Murray's Cheese
How It All Started
The first Murray's Cheese store was opened around 1962 in Greenwich Village. It was started by Murray Greenberg, an immigrant from Ukraine. For a while, people thought the store opened in 1940, but a 2021 article in the newspaper The Forward corrected this fact.
After Murray Greenberg, a man named Louis Tudda owned the store. In 1991, Robert Kaufelt bought it. Kaufelt was very passionate about cheese and even wrote a book called The Murray's Cheese Handbook.
One of the shop's famous customers was Ed Koch, who was once the mayor of New York City. In 2007, Time Out New York magazine called Murray's the "Best Cheese Shop in New York."
Growing Across the Country
In 2007, Murray's made a deal with the Kroger Company. This allowed them to open small Murray's cheese shops inside Kroger supermarkets all over the United States. This helped many more people discover their special cheeses.
On February 7, 2017, the Kroger Company officially purchased the entire Murray's Cheese business.
More Than Just a Shop
In 2002, Murray's opened a second location in New York's famous Grand Central Terminal. A few years later, in 2008, they opened a shop for cured meats called Murray's Real Salami in the same market. By 2010, these two shops combined to become another main store.
To share their love of cheese even more, the company opened a restaurant in 2012. Called Murray's Cheese Bar, it is a 48-seat restaurant in Greenwich Village that serves meals focused on cheese.
Creating Unique Cheeses
A big part of what makes Murray's special is how they age their cheese. They have special rooms called cheese caves at their warehouse in Long Island City. These caves have the perfect temperature and humidity to help cheeses develop amazing flavors.
The company has its own line of cheeses called Cave Master. These are cheeses that are aged in their own caves.
- In 2016, Murray's worked with a Swiss cheesemaker to create a new cheese called Annelies.
- In 2017, they introduced a special cheddar cheese called Ezra. It was the first cheese that Murray's helped create from the very beginning, working with Cornell University and a New York creamery.
The store also sells many cheeses from other countries. For example, they sell Danish cheeses like Havarti and Tilsit cheese. In 2017, they added a collection of organic Danish cheeses to their shops.
Fun with Cheese Classes
Murray's also offers classes for people who want to learn more about cheese. In 2017, the company launched a fun class with a cheeseboard inspired by the popular TV show Game of Thrones. These classes are a creative way for customers to try new cheeses and learn what makes them special.
