ChefShop.com
The Cream Rises To The Top
 If you
feel that the best meals in Seattle are at your house, chances are you, or
someone under your roof, is a great cook. Even if you just like experimenting
with new flavors, there's a place in Seattle that will taunt your taste buds both
online, and in brick and mortar fashion.
It's an otherwise slow Thursday afternoon in Seattle, the week between
Christmas and New Year's. Despite the terminal street repair that never
ends on Elliot Avenue, ChefShop.com is open for business with a store full of
customers.
 ChefShop.com occupies a
humble green building along the thoroughfare of Elliot Avenue between Magnolia
and Downtown. What started as a warehouse operation for the online company,
is now a full fledged retail store. "We didn't start this as a retail
outlet" says David (Da-veed) Baron (left), the store manager and one of the
founders of the online venture. "But it got to a point where we had to
put a will call button on our site because many of our customers were right here
in Seattle."
 A walk into ChefShop is much like a trip to their website. The website
is simply laid out in aisles, and the store reflects a similar style with racks
and displays of cooking ingredients ranging from hot sauces and olive oils, to
beans and chocolates. "We look for quality and value in the items we
carry" says Baron of the boutique inventory the store carries unique to any
other in the area.
Some of the goods come from nearby, such as Tao of Tea, canisters of tea
blended by an individual in Portland, primarily for ChefShop. Others come
from faraway places like Mexico, Europe and the middle east. "The
sugar we carry is from India Tree here in Seattle, but the source is from a tiny
island in the Caribbean" notes Baron.
He, along with other staff,
venture out to food shows and take regular trips though other countries tasting
and selecting the items that ChefShop will eventually carry. "We
start with about 100 Olive oil selections each year and then widdle that down to
just 25 through a democratic vote after tasting."
 Olive Oil is one of ChefShop's
specialties. Inside you'll find a fully
loaded oil tasting bar (left), which a staff associate will happily man to
provide a private tasting for you. While this is a daily event, there are
also special events throughout the year such as book signings, cooking
demonstrations and an occasional item is opened by Baron on the spot for
customers to indulge in.
As the web shakeout continues with venture capital startups dropping like
flies, don't expect this to be the case with ChefShop.com. The company has
five founders who invested out of pocket and there are no plans to end what they
started. "We're watching the shakeout on the web, but in a way it's
been good to us because we're carrying and shipping items that can't be found
anywhere else online" comments Baron
There are no retail
expansion plans for 2001.
ChefShop.com was recently voted best food site
online by Yahoo Internet Life magazine.
ChefShop doesn't carry any alcoholic items which simplifies life on the web,
but if you like exotic artichoke hearts, chocolate from Cuba, jams from Sonoma
and pastas from Italy you'll find a world of fun new things to taste at ChefShop.com.
Tom Mehren
Winter 01 |
