Alexandria’s Cheesetique will be taking over operations at the Shirlington location of fellow cheese-and-wine shop The Curious Grape (4056 Campbell Avenue) in Shirlington later this year, according to Cheesetique owner Jill Erber.
“I can confirm that we plan on opening in the current Curious Grape [location] this autumn,” Erber said in an email yesterday afternoon. “The details are being hammered out, so I don’t have more specifics for now.”
Cheesetique, located in the Del Rey section of Alexandria, is a specialty cheese shop with an integrated wine and cheese bar. In addition to cheese, the bar also serves small plates, simple entrees and charcuterie.
A message left for The Curious Grape management on Monday has not been returned.
Update at 4:40 p.m. — Apparently there’s some confusion stemming from the fact that we said Cheesetique was taking over “operations” at Curious Grape’s Shirlington location. Erber wants it known that Cheesetique is not taking over Curious Grape as a company, only the physical store location.
Update at 3:55 p.m. — We’ve finally heard back from Curious Grape’s management. They issued the following press release this afternoon.
The report that a cheese shop is taking over the operations of Arlington’s A List #1 wine store, The Curious Grape, is false. No other entity is taking over The Curious Grape or its operations. While we do not think that ARLnow report was intended to be misleading, the report is totally untrue. We are unsure how anyone could have come to the conclusions as reported in ARLnow, but there has been no discussion, plans or agreement between the Curious Grape and Cheestique, or anyone else, to take over The Curious Grape’s operations.
The Curious Grape would invite Cheestique to retract any impression that it will take over The Curious Grape’s operations. Further, the use of the Curious Grape logo in the ARLnow report was in no way authorized by The Curious Grape, and that misimpression should be corrected as well. While we wish Cheestique well, the misleading publicity is unfortunate.
The simple fact is that The Curious Grape will not be continuing in its present location in Shirlington, and will make an announcement at the appropriate time of its future plans. Please do not announce the demise of Arlington’s WUSA A List number one wine retailer. We are very alive, well and will continue! Please stand by for future announcements about The Curious Grape.