The Loyalist Market partnered with local barber shops to provide kids with free haircuts. Photo courtesy

Chris Sottile, owner of The Loyalist Market in downtown Matthews, knows the power of a good cut. He awakens customers’ senses to what cheese can truly be — the taste, the feel, the smell — by offering more than 40 artisanal cheeses and 20 styles of charcuterie at any given time. He also made free cuts possible for more than one hundred school children from struggling economic situations this week. 

“I started reaching out to my personal network to find barber shops willing to partner,” Sottile says. “I wasn’t having luck, so I made an attempt on social media.”

Sottile’s #bekindclt spirit went viral. Lucky Spot Barbershop contacted him with a sponsorship opportunity for its “Back-to-School Free Haircut Program,” now in its 11th year. One of the restaurant’s regulars decided to match The Loyalist Market’s donation of $750, while another donated $150, helping provide even more kids with free haircuts.

Sottile was able to team with two additional barber shops, Matthews Barber Shop 2 and Standing Ovation. These businesses decided to not only give young people a trim and confidence boost before the first day of school, they did it for free and redirected Sottile’s funds to purchase and donate school supplies instead. 

The Loyalist Market makes it their regular business to rally around the community. When schools closed in March 2020, Sottile created a GoFundMe campaign to help feed children on free and reduced lunch programs. He expected to raise $10,000 in donations, but wound up with $50,000, which was used to provide more than 14,000 meals for children. This mindset of being real, loyal, and kind — along with a commitment to providing the highest quality organic, non-GMO, and humanely-raised products — is one of the reasons why Sottile’s patrons continue to rally right back around The Loyalist Market during pandemic shifts.

“We put people over profits,” Sottile says. “Our transparency with customers and their understanding — plus my incredible team — continue to allow us to do the right thing.”

For instance, there have been times Sottile closed his shop doors to avoid putting customers at risk when a staff member tested positive for Covid-19. His team, no matter their differences, has worn masks with solidarity out of concern for each other and customers. Sottile has paused his series of cheese pairing classes until the time is right to bring guests together again. Customers get it, appreciate it, and keep the business operating.

The Loyalist Market continues to try different strategies to maneuver through the hard times, and the community continues to respond with full support. 

“We even transformed into a very popular burger joint around an outdoor campfire for eleven weeks every Saturday at the peak of Covid,” he says.

Even though the unexpected hits keep coming, Sottile feels fortunate to be thriving rather than just surviving during the pandemic. They are operating one less day a week than before the pandemic with higher profits. The Loyalist Market will celebrate its four-year anniversary this October. Sottile hopes the future allows for an in-person, grand 5th year celebration. You can visit the sandwich/retail shop by day and cheese/wine bar by night Tuesday-Saturday (with $20 dine-in cheese and charcuterie boards every Tuesday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m.), or go remote with The Loyalist Market’s monthly cheese club options.