Vegan cheese shop opens in Crosstown Concourse
By Joshua Carlucci – Daily Memphian
October 29, 2023
Los Angeles-born plant-based cheese company SriMu has opened a new location in Memphis at Crosstown Concourse.
The artisanal cheesemaker celebrated its grand opening in the Central Atrium earlier this month, drawing a large crowd with live music, samples, and an open bar.
“The best thing was the amazing turnout and the response to the product,” said owner Julie Piatt.
Guests sampled charcuterie-style platters featuring SriMu’s signature creations, including:
Spire – a blue cheese-inspired wheel with spirulina accents
Gold Alchemy – a smoky, spreadable non-dairy cheese made with turmeric and black pepper
SriMu primarily operates as an online subscription service, allowing customers to customize dairy-free deliveries by quantity and frequency. However, the Crosstown Concourse location serves not only as a shipping hub but also as a retail storefront offering grab-and-go items.
Piatt says the business plans to expand into a full café experience in the future.
“You can come sit down and have a cheeseboard, but we’ll also have a number of salads, sandwiches and toasties. We make beautiful mozzarella,” she said.
While no official timeline has been set, Piatt noted that the Memphis community will help shape the rollout. Initial plans include lunch service, followed by an aperitif-style offering from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. featuring wine and cheeseboards. Made-to-order boards will also be available to-go, along with a selection of raw, gluten-free, dairy-free desserts, including a plant-based take on cheesecake.
“The storefront will be the first place to try new innovations and formulations. It’s really a homefront,” Piatt said.
Looking ahead, Piatt is enthusiastic about SriMu’s role in Memphis.
“(SriMu) is about bringing the community together around vibrational foods,” she said. “We’re looking to scale and grow, but one thing that’s for certain is we will always have our flagship home at Crosstown in Memphis.”