All Over Albany

The Cheese Traveler has a new owner

Eric Paul back in 2012 when the shop opened.

The Cheese Traveler has been sold.

Mary Rizzo of Troy has bought the popular cheese and specialty food shop on Delaware in Albany from founder Eric Paul. It sounds like the plan is to keep a lot things the same for now. Press release blurbage:

The Cheese Traveler will continue most of the popular product lines and events our customers know and love. The Friday Night Cook-outs start on May 11 continuing through September. The menu will change weekly and feature local certified organic and grass finished beef from Tilldale Farm and certified organic and grass finished lamb from Hessian Hill Farm. Vegetarian options along with side dishes, starter plates and desserts will be created based on fresh, local, seasonal produce, and cheese plates will feature a variety of domestic and imported cheeses paired with the perfect accompaniment. A curated selection of wine, beer, cider and non-alcoholic drinks will also be available.

There will be reception for Eric Paul and Alifair Skebe, his wife, Sunday May 13 from 1-3 pm at the shop.

Over at Table Hopping, Steve Barnes reports that Paul made the choice to sell so he could focus more time working for a cheese importer and distributor based out of Brooklyn.

Eric Paul's been a fixture as a local cheese seller and expert going back almost two decades, first at Honest Weight, at the Cheese Traveler stand at the Delmar Farmers Market, and then at the shop on Delaware. He has a great depth of knowledge and passion for the subject, which always came through when talking with him at the shop.