The Daily Catch

Expertise Without Elitism: Red Hook’s New Corner Counter Shop Peddles Cheese with Patience



Lauren Cunningham-Housman has spent years mentally preparing to open The Corner Counter (photo by Emily Sachar).

Editor’s Note: This is another in our feature series about the innovative retail outlets of Red Hook and Rhinebeck.


The aroma of melting cheese from the panini press wafts through the air when a local mom arrives, plugs in her laptop and settles her kids at a table to do homework. The bartender, behind the curvaceous wine bar, preps for the evening rush. Proprietor Lauren Cunningham-Housman, knife in hand, cuts a piece of Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue and assures an anxious customer it’s a sensible cheese for his impromptu summer BBQ.

The vibe through it all is relaxed energy.

“A lot of thought and planning has gone into what we hope to do here,” says Cunningham-Housman of her new establishment, The Corner Counter, which opened earlier this week after seven months of planning and construction. “We want customers to feel welcome as we create a new community gathering spot.”

Cheeses will be sourced both locally and further afield, including from France and Italy (photo by Emily Sachar).

A former cheesemonger and brand manager for Murray’s Cheese Shop in Manhattan, Cunningham-Housman has envisioned this moment for years. The Corner Counter, which sits at the northeast junction of the Four Corners in the Village of Red Hook, is parts sandwich shop, wine bar, cheese counter, retail boutique, and community locus.

She continues a storied legacy at the site in both food prep and merchandising. Since the building was erected in the 1860s, the space has been home to a grocer, general store, market, and deli. “We’re excited to continue that tradition with a neighborhood cheese shop,” Cunningham-Housman told The Daily Catch.

This afternoon, the shop was already hopping, and the banquette dining area was full during the lunch “rush.” Customers said they were excited. “The town really needs this,” said Steve Lowry, who ordered the $12 Ploughman with gruyere, ham, green apple and condiments on a baguette. “There’s been a big gap since [J&J’s] closed.” His wife, Maureen, ordered the Maple Blues with blue cheese, caramelized onions, green apple and maple syrup. “I’ve already come in twice,” she said proudly.

Susan Simon, center, enjoyed her 73rd birthday Thursday with friends Mary Lou Kandur, left, and Gail Lee of Rhinebeck (photo by Emily Sachar).

Susan Simon of Red Hook shared her 73rd birthday with two friends, all savoring coffee. “It’s so cheerful,” said her friend, Gail Lee, of Rhinebeck. “A happy place.”

Many patrons commented on the fresh look and cleanliness of the shop, enhanced by the floor-to-ceiling Spoonflower wallpaper. 

The Corner Counter’s interior has been refreshed by building owner Baright Realty with new faux wood floors and windows installed after the departure of J&J’s in December 2021. To bring her vision to life, Cunningham-Housman worked with local contractor Matthew Braydich of Cort Contracting and Kristina Dousharm Architects, who are also working on the South Broadway Mighty Donuts project (see our story). Dousharm’s team designed the new shop’s interior, including a long L-shaped seating banquette, painted in navy blue, that runs along two walls and is populated with electric outlets to facilitate laptop work. Cunningham-Housman has positioned small round two-top tables at the front of the store.

An assortment of grab-and-go cheeses and meats are available at The Corner Counter (photo by Emily Sachar).

Cheese On Top

At Corner Counter, cheese will lead the way but not, Cunningham-Housman says, in a way that intimidates. “Cheese should be approachable and fun,” she said. To wit, she envisions classes in partnership with local Hudson Valley makers – both on cheese itself and on pairing cheese with wine, beer and cider. Tasting events are also in the works. Charcuterie platters will also be available for catering. In fact, for the recent storefront opening event at Mondello Upstate Realty’s new West Market location, The Corner Counter prepared the cheese boards.

The cheese will be sourced from both near and far. Churchtown Dairy of Hudson will be supplying Wendell, a raw milk semi-firm tomme that is buttery, bright and an excellent melter, ideal for grilled cheese, Cunningham-Housman said. Chaseholm Farms of Pine Plains will present their signature Camembert-style cheese and a triple-cream cheese called Nimbus.

Prepared sandwiches feature cheeses and luncheon meats with an array of condiments (photo by Emily Sachar).

“These local makers are creating excellent products and are terrific exemplars of sustainable agriculture,” Cunningham-Housman said.

Other cheeses will come from Vermont, France, and Italy. The shop may eventually progress to brand extensions such as wholesaling, Cunningham-Housman suggested. 

Cunningham-Housman also envisions pop-up dinners with area chefs and partnerships with other local businesses to host events. “We aim to really serve the community, to be a true anchor here,” she said.

Specialty meats, olives and dolmas will also be available along with a wide array of dry goods and a beverage selection, with both local and imported options, that has been curated by Dan Pucci, a Red Hook resident and co-founder of Wallabout Hospitality. Current offerings include ciders from Rose Hill Farm of Red Hook, Sundström Cider of Milan, Left Bank Ciders of Catskill, and Scrumpy Ewe of West Fulton. Local beers are being sourced from Lasting Joy Brewery, Suarez Family Brewery, Subversive Brewing, and West Kill Brewery.

Madison Curry of Red Hook formerly owned her own Italian cafe in New Orleans (photo by Emily Sachar).

The launch team is comprised of four employees also sourced locally – Anna Dolen, Aicardo Novoa, and Madison Curry, all of Red Hook, and Ronda Danley of Germantown. “I am very lucky to have found amazing and talented staff,” Cunningham-Housman said, noting that all have food experience. Curry and Danley, she said, also have cheese expertise. 

Why Red Hook?

As she was planning the store, Cunningham-Housman was also hunting for the right community for her family. She moved with her husband, Adam Housman, and two young children in June 2022, to be closer to her in-laws in Connecticut and to settle into a quieter lifestyle after years living in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and the Mount Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia.

Cunningham-Housman plans to offer an array of crackers and local breads (photo by Emily Sachar).

“We got married in Hudson years ago and have always felt a special connection to this area,” Cunningham-Housman, 39, said. “We preferred the lifestyle here for raising our family. And it was scenically so beautiful: the farmstands, the Catskill views, the historic houses, the hiking.”

Family, in fact, have helped locate decor for the store at yard sales and antique shops. Mother-in-law Judi Housman donated dozens of vintage Longaberger baskets and her mother, Judy Cunningham, sourced wooden apple crates and vintage silver trays. A unique wooden piece with cast iron legs came from Hoffman’s Barn antique store on South Broadway in Red Hook. While no one at Hoffman’s was quite sure of its original purpose, the piece now serves as a product display tabletop.

A charcuterie counter offers an assortment of meats (photo by Emily Sachar).

Cunningham-Housman also found a primitive solid hutch in Ulster County and repainted it. An old French butcher block that will be used as the center cheese display, currently featuring Parmigiano Reggiano, was found by an employee on Facebook Marketplace and restored with a new butcher block top. 

Plans for The Corner Counter were hatched several years ago, but Cunningham-Housman didn’t begin hunting for a space for the store in earnest until 2021, at the height of the Covid pandemic. “I’ve always had the dream of owning my own space where I could be part of a community and know the regulars as neighbors and friends,” Cunningham-Housman said during a recent interview with The Daily Catch. “I imagine my kids coming in after school to do homework and maybe slinging cheese behind the counter someday.”

Cheese Expertise

Cunningham-Housman came to the cheese world after more than 10 years in finance at KPMG U.S., where she rose to associate director of corporate responsibility. But, after starting a culinary management program at the Institute for Culinary Education in Downtown Manhattan during 2015-2016, she decided to take a sharp pivot and apply to work at Murray’s Cheese in Greenwich Village. She started as a cheesemonger, the lingo for a cheese salesperson, then took on bigger roles.

“I always knew when I made the career change from finance to working in cheese that I wanted to do my own thing,” Cunningham-Housman said. “Murray’s was a great place to learn.”

To understand layout, flow and offerings, she also studied local establishments for role models. She scrutinized Black-Eyed Suzie’s Upstate, Kingston Bread and Rough Draft in Kingston, and Quinnie’s in Hudson. “I got a lot of inspiration from what others have done,” she noted.

In the final runup to Opening Day, a medley of activities will keep the store humming: deliveries, paint touch-ups, and small handyman projects. Through it all, Cunningham-Housman says she’s remained calm. “I feel like this is what I was meant to do and all my previous work and life experiences have led me here,” she said. “It’s been a lot of fun getting this project launched. Now we’re just so excited to open the doors and welcome everyone inside.” 

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Opening Information: Through Thursday, May 11, hours at The Corner Counter will be roughly 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thereafter, Cunningham-Housman said to expect hours of 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The grand opening coincides with Red Hook’s Apple Blossom Day on Saturday, May 13, and Mother’s Day the day after. Phone: 845-835-8116.


Print edition search code: Cheese243

2 responses to “Expertise Without Elitism: Red Hook’s New Corner Counter Shop Peddles Cheese with Patience”

  1. Sarah Carlson says:

    Congratulations! So thrilled that you are here! Can’t wait to try everything!!

  2. Tom Cathcart says:

    Wow! What an addition to the village! Eloise and I have eaten there twice already. The mozzarella, the pesto, and the pastries are all delicious. The Corner Counter will draw people to the village for sure.

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