It was during the pandemic that South Norwood couple Gareth Main and Justina Budd decided to take their love of cheese to the next level.
They joined the Academy of Cheese in order to learn more about it, but their neighbourhood was lacking a place to buy artisan cheeses.
Justina was working at Tate Modern at the time, but had dreams of one day renovating an old shop.
Gareth, who continues to work for local sharing app Olio, was willing to join her on this journey.
Fast-forward to November 2021 and the couple were ready to fill that hole, opening Little Mouse cheese shop on Selhurst Road.
The South Londoner magazine caught up with Gareth and Justina to hear about how it started and how it’s going…
South Londoner (SL): How did you discover your shared love of cheese?
Gareth Main (GM): Before Justina and I were together, my knowledge and appreciation of fine food and drink was minimal. My food education really started with her, and cheese has been a part of that. My first memory of falling deeper in love with cheese was when we ate a Tunworth – I think it was in Cumbria? – but we were definitely fans of artisan cheeses before then.
Justina Budd (JB): We got into cheese during the pandemic lockdowns and it sort of grew naturally, really. The more we learnt, the more there was to find out. It’s endlessly fascinating how the smallest variations make so many different and complex cheeses.
SL: Your shop Little Mouse is in South Norwood, where you also live. What made you decide to set up home, and later business, there?
JB: I wanted to move to South Norwood to be closer to Tooting, which is where I grew up and my mother still lives. She was ill at the time so I was travelling there a lot. Gareth is a Crystal Palace fan, and there are lots of beautiful green spaces, so it was an easy sell. We also had a good feeling about the community, which proved to be right.
GM: There’s little doubt that it would have made more economic sense to open a cheese shop in a more affluent area, but ultimately we wanted to create something that we would want to exist. In short: we took a bet on us being extremely normal people, which has turned out to be the case.
SL: How have you found going into business as a couple? (If you don’t mind us asking!)
GM: Starting a business is full-on. I think any big, intense activity comes with stress and pressure, which can make or break a partnership. It’s definitely made us closer though. Also, we’re good at different things, so division of labour has been pretty straightforward. Justina has much more patience than I do, which is vital, but without my blind desire to do new things, I’m not sure we would have got it going. We’re a team!
JB: There were points when it was hard to find time to talk about anything other than the shop, but over the past few months we’ve got good at talking about things that aren’t cheese or Little Mouse related – which has been something of a relief!
SL: What are some of the most common questions you get asked by visiting customers?
GM: “Do you have any <insert name of non-British cheese>?”, or “When are your next wine and cheese tasting events?” The answer to both is “see our newsletter”.
JB: We also get asked about our favourite cheeses… we do have favourites, but they change a lot.
SL: What advice would you give a cheese novice on navigating a cheese counter?
GM: Chat to the person behind the counter. We’re all doing this because we love cheese and artisan produce, and the more people we convert from supermarket cheese to artisan cheeses means a better outcome for us, for you, and for the environment. If you tell a cheesemonger that you don’t know where to start with cheese, they’ll figure out pretty quickly what you’ll love.
JB: Think about the types of cheeses you know you like. If you like cheddar from a supermarket, chances are you’ll like artisan cheddar even more. The best part of the job is seeing someone’s face when they try a cheese for the first time – we have seen a lot of joy over our counter!
SL: In an age where so much of our shopping is done online and we’re witnessing the ‘death’ of the high street, how challenging have you found opening a physical shop?
GM: The pandemic definitely changed buying habits for the better, as more people started shopping locally and had a greater appreciation for their local area. With workers returning to the office, it’s worrying to think we might be losing some of that, but we have such an amazing community in South Norwood that we’re confident we can keep it going.
JB: One of the best parts of running the shop is getting to know our customers and the wider community. South Norwood residents come together for events, to campaign for local causes, and celebrate the very best of our corner of south London. You don’t get that from doing business on a website.
SL: Lastly, any advice for readers hoping to launch their own business in south London?
JB: Before opening the shop, we tested our ideas at local food markets. If you can trial an idea on a smaller, cheaper scale, it’s a good way of getting customers and assessing whether people are going to support you.
GM: There’s something to be said for trusting your gut. If there’s something you would like to exist and support, it’s likely other people will also want it to exist. If I didn’t co-own the cheese shop on my doorstep, I know that I’d be buying a lot of cheese from it. It’s not surprising that there are more people like me who would do the same.
JB: Also, share the load! We rely so much on the brilliant people who work with us, Liam and Trish, who are as passionate about good food, wine and community as we are. They’re testament to the fact that, although this started out as our idea, Little Mouse is a part of South Norwood now – and long may it continue to be so.
Little Mouse Cheese, 212A Selhurst Road, London SE25 6XU.
Thursday & Friday, 11am – 7pm; Saturday & Sunday, 10am – 4pm; Monday – Wednesday, closed.
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