Inspirational Cheese Retailers 2024: Star Plain

While Star Plain didn’t have the most auspicious start – missing shelves, a location at the ‘wrong end of town’ and staff learning how to wrap cheese the night before opening – the business has gone from strength to strength and has gone on to help create a local food and shopping destination in Holt, Norfolk. 

“The shop opened in May 2021 as a brand new start-up, initially with just a cheese counter with eight cheeses, a small provisions section and a coffee machine for takeaway coffees,” begins Tom Brady, founder and owner of Star Plain. “The unit had stood empty for four years but had a beautiful structure and an eye-catching exterior – an old pub from the 1600s.” In time, Tom and his team added an alcohol licence and more provisions, and in the last year branched out into hospitality with a new cafe bistro with space for 20-30, offering cheese-based dishes, wine by the glass and speciality coffee. 

The journey continues. “We are constantly evolving and making improvements as we learn,” says Tom. “Our customers have been patient and enjoyed the journey we’ve been on.” An open mind has been key to the business’s success. “No products are off the table so we aren’t fixed in to one idea or sector, so with a relatively small space to operate everything that arrives here is tried and tested first and has to be the absolute best.”

A combination of local and European cheese has proven successful thus far – “taste is always the priority when selecting” – while having a hospitality arm on-site has meant that customers can try before they buy. “We sell what we cook and cook what we sell, so customers can understand the deli products on our lunch menu and purchase some cheese for home after trying it.”

With customers ranging from true locals, Londoners moved to Norfolk ‘locals’, Airbnb owners and their guests, plus visitors from Norwich and elsewhere, Tom and his team are proud to host “well travelled and fun people who are open to new food and drink. They love cheese and embrace everything we put on the counter.” For his customers, Tom will go above and beyond. “I’ve managed to source everything customers have asked for; I even picked up a Brillat Savarin Truffle for a regular on a quick London visit as we had sold out of our Christmas allocation and I knew it was their favourite.”

Having a number of loyal customers despite being entirely new to the cheese-selling game is one of Tom’s greatest triumphs. “I had zero experience of running a food and drinks business [before opening], so to be approaching our third year and seeing the same customers again and again for weekly cheese, Christmas cheese, and picking up anything new we post on Instagram as they trust us is hugely rewarding.”

Read about all the Inspirational Cheese Retailers by downloading the supplement.