Kenneth R.
Yelp
The Cheese Board stayed open for a few days after the lockdowns, with a scheme that allowed customers to enter the store and place orders at a table in front of the shop. They then closed for 10 weeks, leaving a sign to the effect that they were searching for a way to serve their customers while keeping everyone safe.
On June 2, the Board inaugurated a web site that permitted pickups two days after an order was placed, during a one-hour window that could be chosen during the order. I filled out the order form on May 29 and specified the very first one-hour time slot on June 2. So did many other people! I was in line on Vine Street for about 25 minutes until I got to the front of the store and was able to pick up my stuff.
One feature, or bug, of the setup (then and now) is that you can order a "thing," like butter, but cannot specify the size of the chunk that you'll be sold. For example, I bought butter this morning and ended up with a pound of it. If I weren't not involved in a home baking operation (like everyone else I know), I'd be unhappy with the amount of butter that I now have on hand.
The June 2 online system lasted only about two weeks. It was replaced by the current system: The shop is open five days a week from 9AM to 3PM each day. Customers line up at the store and are served in turn. Most of the familiar pastries and breads are available, and of course there are light-bake pizzas each day. There is a limited selection of cheeses, along with some "extras" like castroverde olives.
The problem is that the line to buy products tends to wrap down Vine Street. On average, it's 25 minutes long. There are random moments when the line amazingly short, and predictable times (e.g., Saturday mornings) when it's insanely long. When it's your turn to order, you sidle up to the single Cheeseboard member at window #1 -- you list your purchases and then pay for them. After you've ordered, you slide down a few feet south to the fulfillment window (window #2), where you wait something like 75 seconds until your purchases have been assembled.
While many customers come up to window #1 with a clear idea of what they want and a credit card or phone in hand, others dawdle and hold up the line. In my humble and personal opinion, the system would work a lot better if two people could order simultaneously. In other words, I'm advocating for windows 1a and 1b for ordering and window 2 for pickup. I think that this tweak would make life a lot easier for Cheeseboard clientele. Another recommendation I'll advance is that the shop be open at 7AM on weekdays for customers who want to get a pastry or two for their breakfasts.
We all love the Cheeseboard, but I suspect that a lot of customers are staying away because of the long lines. Build it and we will definitely come!