Nineteen Years Old

It’s hard to believe, but we opened Farmstead Cheeses and Wines in the Alameda Marketplace 19 years ago this week! 

Most small businesses fail within the first five years, and in this age of consolidation, online sales, tariffs, big box stores, pandemics, and an explosion of excellent places to purchase wine and cheese in the East Bay, this is nothing short of a miracle!

Being nineteen, we’re going to ignore our parents, think about getting our very own place, and listen to very loud music with the door closed.  

But seriously, Carol, our business partner Pamela, and I thank you from the bottom of our collective hearts for supporting us over the years! 

As we commence our 20th! trip around the sun, I’m proud to say that our mission hasn’t wavered since opening day (12 November 2003): bringing you an expertly curated wine and cheese experience, focusing on artisan cheeses and small-farmed (organic where possible) wines in a non-intimidating and friendly, independently and locally run shop.  

We’ve morphed a bit – Alameda has undergone a major redesign, and our organic wine selection has exploded (wines made with good, clean farming and winemaking practices comprise over 75% of our inventory!!), but we’re still here in The Marketplace and in Oakland, and we plan on being here for a lot longer!