Graydon’s Cheese Cellar

Some businesses are born from meticulously crafted plans. Others unfold through instinct, curiosity, and a willingness to say yes before you have all the answers. Graydon’s Cheese Cellar falls firmly into the latter category.

When you step into Graydon’s Cheese Cellar in West Vancouver, it immediately feels less like a shop and more like a gathering place - a space designed for connection, conversation, and shared enjoyment. That feeling is no accident. It’s a direct reflection of owner Kim Graydon’s journey, values, and deep belief in the power of food to bring people together.

In our latest At the Heart of the Community interview, we sat down with Kim to talk about how a love of cheese turned into a cross-country move, a thriving local business, and a growing hub for community.

Kim Graydon and her family at the grand opening of Graydon’s Cheese Cellar

From “I Like Cheese” to Opening a Cheese Cellar

Kim’s path to cheese was anything but linear - and it started with a major life pivot.

“I left a job I thought I would be at until I retired,” she shared. “And then I went through a bit of an existential crisis - wondering what I was going to do next.”

At the time, Kim was working in recreation, specifically overnight summer camps in Ontario. Behind the scenes, it was a role that required leadership, logistics, problem-solving, and people skills - but translating that experience onto a resume felt surprisingly difficult. “People have no idea the engine and all the moving parts behind a camp,” she laughed. “I’d helped run a camp with 800 kids in the summer - but how do you explain that to a potential employer?”

After leaving her job, Kim gave herself nearly a year to reflect on what she truly wanted.

“I’ve always loved retail. I love to cook,” she said. “I thought, maybe I’ll open a specialty grocery shop.”

That curiosity led her to apply for an Assistant Manager role at a cheese shop in Oakville. “They asked me in the interview what I knew about cheese,” Kim said. “And I said, ‘I like it.’”

She got the job - and quickly fell in love.

“Cheese is all storytelling,” she explained. “That’s very much a camp thing too. You get through to people that way. Cheesemakers are real people with families - small producers who put their heart and soul into what they do.”

Kim dove in fully, completing certifications at George Brown College, attending conferences, and taking online courses. What started as curiosity soon became clarity. 

“I thought - I’m going to open a cheese shop instead. A shop where it’s really about people… and also cheese.”

Building a Business and a Community in BC

Opening Graydon’s Cheese Cellar meant another first: moving to BC and launching a business from scratch, in a new province.

“I’d never opened a business before,” Kim shared. “So I decided to hire a full-service design-build construction company based in North Vancouver. Especially coming from Ontario, I wouldn’t have known where to begin.”

Support came from many places. “Connecting with the Executive Director of the Ambleside Dundarave BIA was huge. Maureen was amazing,” Kim said. “She helped so much with understanding the location and the community.”

For Kim, it all came back to trust and relationships.

“It was about energy,” she said. “Trusting people. Dialing into relationships with the people you meet - and it turned out better than I imagined.”

Even so, the early days weren’t without drama. “Five days before I opened, I ended up in the hospital with 10 stitches,” she said. “I picked up a knife with a broken protective covering.”

Despite the chaos, Graydon’s opened its doors and quickly became something more than a retail space. “I wanted a place where people could come and sit,” Kim explained. “We got a liquor license and created a little bistro nook. People can come, sit, and spend time.”

What Community Means - Especially Through Food

For Kim, community and food are inseparable.

“A lot of people’s love language is food,” she said. “That’s how they show love, gratitude, and appreciation. It’s celebratory. It’s what you do for someone who’s having a rough time.”

That connection shows up in the smallest moments.

“I can ask a customer how their daughter’s birthday party was because they were just buying cheese for it,” Kim shared. “That’s the main reason I love this.”

She believes food is one of the most universal ways to connect. “Feeding people around a table - sitting together - that’s a universal language,” she said. “Cheese and charcuterie are natural gathering foods. Fondue, raclette, people gather around them.”

Graydon’s was built to support exactly that.

Why Collaboration Beats Competition

Kim is a strong believer in collaboration over competition - especially in local food communities.

“When you find partnerships with people who have the same outlook, it just makes sense,” she said. “I truly believe there’s enough business for everybody. I don’t feel like I need to compete.”

That mindset has led to meaningful partnerships, including collaborations with Café LeBrocante’s fondue nights and the upcoming cookbook swap with No Pressure Cookbook Club at Two Rivers Meats.

“The cookbook swap just made sense,” Kim said. “Cooking, feeding people, gathering, swapping books - people get to meet people they’ve never met before.”

Her relationship with Two Rivers Meats runs deep.

“Todd Humphries (Humphries Construction) built Two Rivers and then built Graydon’s,” she shared. “Jason was very good to me from the very beginning - helping me source equipment, being someone I could reach out to.”

For Kim, collaboration is simple. “It’s a win-win for everybody.”

A Little ‘Cheesy Wisdom’ We All Need

When it comes to building the perfect charcuterie board, “There’s zero wrong way to do it,” she said. “You can make something out of nothing - that’s the greatest thing about a board.”

Her biggest tip? “Think about how people are actually going to eat it. What’s it going to look like halfway through?”

She’s not a fan of overly sculpted boards. “I would never make a charcuterie flower,” she laughed. “Once someone takes a piece, it flops and looks like a mound.”

Instead, Kim encourages play. “Roll the meat. Do whatever feels right to you. Have fun with it. It doesn’t have to be Instagram-worthy.”

That philosophy extends to the shop itself. “We really focus on making people feel welcome,” she said. “Come in, have a sample or two. We’re approachable - and we even carry vegan cheese.”

Looking Ahead to 2026

With Graydon’s opening in August 2025, Kim sees 2026 as a year of deepening roots.

“We’re still so new,” she said. “The past year was about getting our legs under us.”

Next year, the focus is clear. “Expanding into community,” Kim shared. “That’s my focus.”

Plans include cheese tastings with local seniors’ centres, more in store events, expanding partnerships, and new ways to bring people together.

Because for Kim, Graydon’s Cheese was never just about cheese. It’s about creating a place where people feel connected - one bite, one story, and one shared table at a time.