When Catherine Devericks bought the building that she turned into The Culture Shop on Hawthorne Avenue, it was run down. She could see the potential for a neighborhood shop, selling wine and cheese and sandwiches, not far from her own home.

“I thought, ‘It’s just run down enough, I might be able to afford it,'” she says. So she bought the building, and got to work.

In mid-March, construction was wrapping up on The Culture Shop and Devericks was preparing to open. Then, the coronavirus pandemic put American restaurants and retailers on hold. At the end of April, Devericks decided to quietly open. She didn’t want to make a big deal out of the opening and chance drawing long lines or crowds, so she let the news quietly spread.

On the menu are cheese and charcuterie, as well as sandwiches created by Catherine’s ex-husband, Cam. He’s running the kitchen after leaving his job of 18 years at Wells Fargo. Both West Virginia natives, they hint that pepperoni rolls may hit the menu eventually. For now, however, Cam is offering an Italian sandwich, with cured meats, provolone cheese, mustard aioli, and banana peppers. You can also order composed boards. Charcuterie on offer is supplied by The Spotted Trotter out of Atlanta, which has earned a dedicated following for its cured meats and sausages.

The wine offerings are well-priced, and you can also pick up a case of Coors Light or four-pack of NoDa’s Jam Session. Being in the Belmont neighborhood of Charlotte, Devericks knows she’ll be serving a varied clientele, and embraces that.

“When I had my security meeting with the community police officer, he really feels like this is a food desert for walkers, and people without cars,” she says.

To help with that, she plans to carry some pastry staples, and have affordable sandwich options on offer, as well as the artisanal cheese and charcuterie plates.

Devericks hopes to eventually buy full wheels of cheese to decorate the shop. There will also be wine and cheese gift baskets for sale, and breakfast possibly down the road — as well as whatever else the neighborhood may need.

The Culture Shop is currently open Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. —Kristen Wile

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