Vibe-Fall-2024 - Flipbook - Page 16
A Cheesy
Love Story
about My
Community
By Anna Mangum
Back in 2020, in the height of the pandemic, I worked at Pinkham
Notch while my best friend had a job at a little-known restaurant
that specialized in grilled cheese on the Kancamagus Highway.
Though our occupations were about an hour apart—it’s quite the
haul beating summer traffic from Conway to Pinkham—I made it
out to this “Cheese Louise” one day in August.
“Artisanal grilled cheese?” I remember asking her. All she said
was: “You have to try to the ‘No Porkin’ way.’” Who comes up with
these names? I wondered.
My friend, Zoë Eisenberg, explained that she had grown up
with the three owners, and that this business started as a fun
summer job (later turned full-blown restaurant) during college. All I
had done in my college years was start and delete a series of novels
that would never see the light of day; so needless to say, I was
impressed.
That was the first time I heard of Cheese Louise. Post-college,
months later, I made my way back to the Valley. Little did I know at the
time how relevant Cheese Louise would soon become in my life.
Whispers of a new Cheese Louise in the center of town started
to circulate. Then, a small, red sign emerged in one of the windows
bearing the name. My first thought was that this new restaurant
could be a great space to host the writing workshop I had been
running throughout the winter. Something about the energy of
this company and space felt compelling.
But, of course, what’s a good story without a little romance?
When I was introduced to one of the Cheese Louise owners later
that spring … how terribly cheesy is it to say that I experienced
love at first sight?
Ever since that meeting and eventual relationship, Cheese
Louise became really relevant in my life. As spring turned to
summer, the location—once in fledgling stages—opened its doors
as a thoughtfully designed restaurant to welcome in hordes of
grilled-cheese loving locals and hungry tourists.
One thing I quickly observed since the restaurant’s new
opening is that the grilled cheese, while STELLAR, might be the
least remarkable thing about it (don’t get me wrong, it’s still the
best grilled cheese you will ever eat).
It’s the power of community values baked into the business
that sets Cheese Louise apart. I felt this deeply when Bryce Harrison—the co-owner, love-at-first-sight-guy—and I were talking
about a run club. I had been wanting to start one for a few weeks
and he encouraged me to use the space as a hub. So, Detours Run
Club was born (the detours bit being a $5 pint and social hour
post-run). Their marketing manager, Ella Chandler, turned around
a vibrant logo in less than 24 hours. I announced it to the public,
excited and nervous.
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