Those who scour grocery stores in vain for mustard-miso paste, elderberry shrubs or tart cherry grenadine, look no further. Larder & Cupboard, a specialty food store focused on small independent producers, officially opens Wednesday, Nov. 12 and will have all this and more on its shelves.
Owner Brian Pelletier, who also owns Kakao Chocolate, set up shop at 7310 Manchester Road in Maplewood, a 2,200-square-foot space that formerly housed an antique furniture store. Herringbone hardwood floors, a marble entry way and a working fireplace add to the shop’s artisanal charm. Upon entering, customers will see cupboards and shelves stacked with everything from small-batch bitters to Cool Cow Cheese to SeedGeeks heirloom seed packets.
As The Scoop first reported in August, general manager Cindy Higgerson is the woman behind the shop’s extensive inventory. Higgerson said her goal was to fill Larder & Cupboard with hard-to-find items from small, high-quality producers who source locally. St. Louis-area producers include Marcoot Jersey Creamery, Woodside Honey, Salume Beddu – and of course, Kakao. However, Higgerson said many products are new to the St. Louis market and have won or been nominated for Good Food Awards and Sofi Awards.
Area restaurants plan to add their wares to store shelves, too. Higgerson said Larder & Cupboard will soon carry fresh pasta and sauces from Pastaria, house-made condiments and sides from Juniper (currently featured in its Gift Horse holiday bags) and cuts of meat from soon-to-open Maplewood neighbor Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions.
Larder & Cupboard will be open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Here’s what to expect when the doors open this Wednesday:
-photos by Michelle Volansky
This article appears in November 2014.