We don't quite remember the first time we met Shawn, the owner of Savour in Lambertville, NJ but we do know we clicked instantly over our mutual love of this one thing: cheese.
If you find yourself strolling on Union Street, you cannot miss this special shop. It is lined wall-to-wall with an abundance of pastas, sauces, pickled vegetables, flavorful jams and spreads and of course....CHEESE! You can also find unique gifts for your loved ones here at Savour; as they are always changing up their decor and merchandise to go along with the different holidays and seasons.
Savour has been in business just over four years and owner, Shawn, says that when it came to choosing the location, they simply got lucky! "The building was undergoing renovations and the owner of the property approached us (knowing that we were looking for a retail space) and offered to consult us on the design of the store layout if we were interested in renting the location," she explains, "In 2016 our building was awarded the Lambertville Historical Society's Narducci Award. The award, a bronze plaque, recognizes the historical preservation of a structure's exterior, restoration of a building to its original architectural integrity or a combination. Prior to the renovation (which split the property into 2 apartments and our shop) I believe it was a single family dwelling and an antiques shop was run out of the front parlor."
While having always been in retail, Shawn learned her skills by wearing many hats; from associate to manager and merchandiser to buyer. She always knew she wanted her own shop someday, but she never thought it would be cheese! Shawn explained that about five years ago she was laid off from a management position and answered an add for part-time sales help in a shop that hadn't even opened yet. "At the time I thought of the job as a way to make money until finding another full-time position. My personality and skills as a merchandiser earned me the job, my retail experience and newfound passion for cheese got me promoted to manager within two months, and a year later I purchased the shop from the original owner."
We have seen the way Shawn operates her business first hand. Always with a warm welcome and always with tastings prepared for her customers.
When I asked Shawn what makes her business unique, she had this to say, "Kindness, hospitality, and sharing our experience and knowledge. We are committed to sourcing products from family run/small businesses that make traditional & unique foods while promoting sustainability, ethical land stewardship and animal husbandry, and at the same time don't compromise their products with fillers, added sugars, or unnecessary preservatives. We also believe that our business fills a need in our community, which makes the shop a rather fulfilling place to work! Nothing brings people together like good food and good company, and you can always find that at Savour."