There are places that simply “sell things” and then there are places that offer something more – a moment of pause, a conversation, a small exchange that lingers longer than the purchase itself. In a neighbourhood like Potts Point, where the rhythm of daily life moves at its own distinct pace, those places still matter.

And Penny’s Cheese Shop is one of them.

A much-loved local fixture on Macleay St, the shop has become a hub for both cheese and conversation, anchored by the expertise and easy warmth of owner Penny Lawson. A self-confessed “curd nerd” with more than two decades in the industry, Penny offers something increasingly rare in modern retail: a genuinely personal, bespoke service.

“I’ve had the business in Potts Point for seven and a half years,” she says, noting the shop began on Roslyn St before moving to its current Macleay St home in 2022. “It’s a bigger space here, but the idea’s always been the same.”

That idea reveals itself mid-conversation. “Hang on just a second,” Penny says, stepping away with a smile. “I’ve just got to help this gentleman match a cheese with his wine.”

The customer, local resident John Reyder, explains the appeal. “Instead of going to a restaurant and spending a lot of money, I came here to get Penny’s recommendation on what cheese would work with this wine.”

It’s a small exchange, but it captures the essence of the shop – thoughtful, personal, and grounded in trust.

Penny’s path into cheese began almost by accident. “I saw a job with the Milawa Cheese Company in Melbourne and applied,” she says. “I ended up running their shop, and from there I just fell into it.”

More than twenty years on, that “fall” has become a career spanning retail, wholesale, and affinage – the specialised craft of maturing cheese. She has judged at major competitions including the Sydney Royal and National Dairy Awards, and even in Switzerland, among what she calls “the crème de la crème – the big cheese.”

“It’s a very specialist industry,” she says. “But people fall in love with it.”

That depth of knowledge shapes the shop’s carefully curated range, blending local and international cheeses with a strong emphasis on Australian producers. “About 40 per cent of what we stock is Australian,” Penny says. “I work closely with producers, and nothing comes in unless I really like it.”

Education sits at the heart of the experience. From tasting notes to tailored recommendations, customers are encouraged to engage with what they’re buying. “A lot of what we do is helping people understand cheese,” she says. “It’s not just about selling it.”

That same philosophy carries into the shop’s regular wine and cheese evenings, where locals gather in an easy, informal setting. “We’ll have about 20 people in here, just tasting and talking,” Penny says. “A lot of the time it’s the same locals coming back.”

And it’s those locals who underpin everything.

“We wouldn’t be anything without the local community,” she says. “You do get people coming from overseas but without the locals, there’s nothing.”

In that sense, Penny’s Cheese Shop feels less like a retail space and more like a neighbourhood touchpoint. A place where knowledge is shared, relationships are built, and small interactions carry weight. Because sometimes, in the middle of a busy day, it’s not just about buying cheese. Or any other product for that matter. It’s about connection. Something Penny’s Cheese Shop offers on a tasty savoury platter.

Penny’s Cheese Shop

https://www.pennyscheeseshop.com.au/

Phone: 0422 412 608

By Adam Gibson 

Photo by Simone McAullay