CHZ PLZ expands in new Port Dalhousie spot
Popular charcuterie shop didn’t move far but now has more room to grow
Spread out before you is a delicious sampling of local meats, artisan cheeses, house-made pickles, preserves and jams along with a fresh baguette to share with your friends or enjoy by yourself.
It isn’t a dream, but one of the wonderful boxes from CHZ PLZ.
The charcuterie boxes are just one of the things CHZ PLZ is known for, but they are hoping that isn’t all.
Marissa Hartley opened her charcuterie catering business in 2018.
CHZ PLZ has grown to a larger location, moving down the street from the Lock Street Brewery location it started in.
Hartley explained how she opened before COVID-19 hit.
“We were like ‘What the heck?’ I just spent so much money getting this place renovated. What (are we) going to do?” said Hartley.
“So, we started pushing the boxes.”
They became popular through social media.
“We were doing like 150 of those a day,” she said. “We quickly realized we needed more space. We were working from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m. just figuring out how to organize the space so we could build all these boxes.”
Then she learned about an opportunity at the marketplace just a couple of doors down.
“It has been a little empty for a while. We wanted to move in there and shine some light on it.”
Hartley said all the construction going on in Port Dalhousie made things difficult for a while, but she said “things are starting to come back to life.”
With the expanded space, CHZ PLZ is moving into selling more cheese and retail items. It currently has six staff members.
Hartley said, other than grocery stores, there are few spots to “come in and buy, you know, a can of tomato sauce or a chunk of Parmesan, or something like that.”
“I feel like with cheese, it’s so never ending. There are so many cheeses from all over the world and so many things to learn, taste, try,” she said.
“I just eat, breathe and sleep cheese.”
The business carries Ontario cheeses, as well as imported cheeses from France, Italy and Germany.
CHZ PLZ also sells focaccia bread, bagels and baguettes. There are soups and sandwiches available as well. The business makes all its pickles and preserves.
Hartley encourages people to experiment and “just try it” when it comes to different cheeses. She noted her boxes come with QR codes that help to explain the box items and recommend pairings.
CHZ PLZ offers catering for any occasion, including wine tastings, weddings, parties or corporate events.
To learn more, go online to chzplz.ca.