Anderson Cheese Stop Fulfills Tom & Eileen Kennedy’s Dream of Business Ownership
When Anderson Cheese Stop co-owners Tom and Eileen Kennedy opened the business in Anderson, Missouri, last summer, they had a clear vision of exactly what products to offer their customers along with a laser-focused strategy on day-to-day operations from every angle.
“We pride ourselves on carrying things people in this area want and that only we have in stock,” Tom and Eileen say. “We have 133 specialty cheeses, so there is always something for everyone who walks in our store. Even more importantly, most everyone who works at Anderson Cheese Stop knows about almost all our cheeses.
“There’s no question about any of our products that we cannot answer. There’s no store like our store anywhere in the area, where you can get specialty cheeses, meats and old-fashioned high-quality goods.”
Sharing a key daily focal point of the shop, the couple says, “We sample five cheeses every day. The menu rotates every two to three days. We believe strongly in sampling and love the feedback from our customers. Each cheese has a story. Join us at the Sample Bar and learn about the cheese. Then buy it, but only after you’ve tried it.”
Tom and Eileen partner with a local vendor who brings something special to their shelves. “Laurie Cox from Fluffy Butt Farms in McDonald County makes jellies, jams, relishes and homemade breads.
“Laurie used to sell at a local farmer’s market. Now she sells her stuff in our store and provides samples for customers to try on Thursdays and Fridays. Customers appreciate getting to sample products before making their purchases.”
That’s not all. “We carry lots of Amish products, which have no preservatives and they are made of a high quality that our customers love,” Tom and Eileen say. “New sections of these products include bulk spices.”
Stocking the shelves with a wide-ranging variety of alcoholic beverages is also an integral part of what helps make Anderson Cheese Stop unique. Tom and Eileen say, “While we do have some local Missouri wines, we carry selections from around the world. One of our favorites is the new red blend from Spain, Arganza Eira Vella.
“It’s a semi-dry red wine with hints of blackberries and cherries that’s rated a 91 (signifies it’s an outstanding or excellent bottle). It’s easy to drink and easy on the pocketbook at $13.99. We have more than 500 bottles on display. Our sales continue to grow each week. We also carry local and international beer.”
In helping to provide a better sense of all the delightfully delectable gourmet foods that are available, they say, “Rather than mention specific items, we’d explain that we carry five Amish cheese makers who use old-style open vats to make their cheese. Some of them are award-winning cheeses.
“We also carry numerous brands from Wisconsin, along with other domestic items, and a large selection of imported cheeses from Australia, England, France, Ireland, Mexico, Spain and Wales. We also carry cow milk, goat milk and sheep milk cheeses.”
Along with the mix of cheeses, Tom and Eileen say, “While we do have locally made products like those from Fluffy Butt Farms and our honey from Noel, Missouri, we also have products from around the world. A good example is our sourdough bread from San Francisco, California, and our cinnamon twist bread all the way from Paris, France.”
Keeping things fresh is of the utmost importance and paramount to future success. Tom and Eileen say, “New items are the lifeblood of the specialty grocery store. Due to square footage space and simple logic, when something doesn’t sell well, it’s imperative to ‘bargain bin’ it out. Then, you bring in new and innovative products.
“All grocery stores provide some cheeses and meats but very few have such a large selection. We describe most stores this way – the cheese is over there but there is no one over there. Even if there was someone over there, they wouldn’t know a lot about the cheeses they carry.”
Conversely, the Kennedys know a lot about what they’re doing.
“Tom’s been involved in the grocery business all his life,” Eileen says. “We both worked for Red Apple Cheese, which is a company that focused on putting gourmet cheese on grocery shelves. Tom retired from Red Apple Cheese after 25 years. I retired from there after 12 years.
“Tom worked in grocery stores as a box boy to store manager and always wanted his own store.”
Prior to deciding they wanted a store of their own, the Kennedys said the notion of possibly running their own business took hold after becoming involved in a local farmer’s market.
“What farmer’s market doesn’t have cheese anyway,” the couple says.
As things evolved, they say, “We got involved with some Amish cheese companies as a distributor and started selling cheese at a local farmer’s market. Then we started a home delivery service. After 9% inflation, that business slowed down. So, we did what we’ve done for years – we started distributing the cheese to grocery stores.
“We still deliver to several locations in Missouri (Branson, Springfield and Table Rock Lake) and Arkansas (Eureka Springs, Holiday Island and Rogers) as well as Southeast Kansas. But we had logistical challenges with 53-foot trucks. We needed a dock and a forklift.”
Tom and Eileen needed their own property. “After looking for buildings all over Northwest Arkansas and Southwest Missouri, we figured out a former feed store would work well for us,” they say. “We knew it would have a dock, a warehouse and a store. A few weeks later, we noticed the Anderson Feed Store had gone on the market, so we jumped on it.”
There were some who didn’t think this would work for the Kennedys, but they proved the naysayers wrong. Tom and Eileen say, “When we were furnishing the store with refrigerated cases and shelving, we saw many emails and posts stating this wouldn’t make it in Anderson.
“We were not angry about the posts. They did not know our history or what we could do. It did not detour us but rather motivated us to make this a success.”
That’s not to say it has always been easy. And there hasn’t been much time for relaxation until recently. “Our people are more and more trained to do a great job.
“Over the last year as we’ve added people and trained them, we have worked seven days a week. Now, we are scheduling a day off for each of us every week. This is a major accomplishment.”
What the Kennedys have accomplished starts with taking care of every individual who comes through their doors.
“We greet every customer,” they say. “This is an important policy because we want all our customers to know we appreciate them and that we’re available for questions any time.
“If they are returning customers, we tell them about new items and any sales we’re having that day. If they are looking for something specific, we help them find it. If they are new customers, we give them a brief tour. We offer customers a glass of cider while they walk around, and we also point out our event center, which has lots of help-yourself goodies on it.
“When they are checking out, we talk to them and ask for their feedback. Sometimes we get requests for new items. If we can accommodate that request, we sure will.”
The reason this business works is simple. “We listen to our customers,” Tom and Eileen say. “We carry what they want at reasonable prices, and we treat them with respect. We give them a memorable experience. It’s like our motto says, ‘Taste the Experience.’”
Anderson Cheese Stop Fast Facts
Co-Owners and Managers: Tom and Eileen Kennedy
Official Opening: June 20, 2025
Physical Address: 106 W. Beaver St., Anderson, Missouri
Website: https://www.andersoncheesestop.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Anderson-Cheese-Stop-61577159200961/
Phone Number: 417-845-2439
Email Address: tomk@kennedyspecialties.com and eileenk@kennedyspecialties.com
Hours: Wednesday – Friday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
