Open for Business: The Ploughman, 438 Seventh Avenue
Thursday, April 26, 2025 at 8:17AM 
In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it turn of events, GRAB Specialty Foods, the small gourmet shop on Seventh Avenue near 15th Street, reopened on Friday after being only closed for three days, under new management and with a new name: The Ploughman.
"I live down the street, so when I learned that GRAB was on the market I knew I had to jump at the opportunity," said new owner Alice Piacenza, a culinary industry veteran who purchased the 5-year old shop from previous owner Laura Nuter. "I'd been shopping at GRAB for years."
Fans of GRAB will notice a few changes, but not too many. There's new signage, and everything got a fresh coat of paint, but the store is still laid out the same: cheese and charcuterie along one wall, dry goods along the other, and beer in the back. One new emphasis, however, will be on local products.
"We're going to be concentrating on procuring additional Brooklyn-based products," said Alice. "You'll notice a lot more local dry goods appearing on the shelves in the next couple weeks, and we're also one of the only shops in the city getting some of our cheese directly from the creamery."
Those creameries include Mt. Mansfield from up in Vermont, who produce an insanely delicious cheese called Inspiration that I just had to purchase a wedge of (above, bottom right), as well as Cato Corner Farm in Connecticut.
There's also plenty of charcuterie from local producers like Salumeria Biellese, and it's the first store in the city to stock 40 Weight Coffee, which can also be found at Sweetwolf's a couple blocks away.
Beer is also still a major source of pride here, with 11 draft lines in operation. It's sold in growlers, and soon in 16 oz. Mason jars. Weekly beer tastings are held every Saturday from 4-7 PM; this upcoming weekend will be focused on German import Radeberger.
A name like The Ploughman begs a question: where's the ploughman's lunch? The hearty lunch is most certainly on their list of offerings, and while it changes daily, it contains the same traditional base ingredients: a hunk of cheese, charcuterie, pate, bread, pickles and olives, and a piece of fruit. It goes for $9.95, and if you choose to include one of their 16 oz. to-go beers, it'll cost $14.95. Sounds like a hell of a lunch box!
It's clear from a chat with Alice that she's incredibly proud of her recent acquisition, and has really made it her own. Most of all, though, she just wants it to be a trusted place for the community to find the highest-quality food, with an emphasis on local products and knowledgeable salespeople.
"I want The Ploughman to examplify the ethos of the neighborhood," she said. "We live here, we work here, we play here, we eat here!"
The Ploughman, 438 Seventh Avenue Brooklyn NY 11215. 718-369-7595.
Open For Business in Food, Scoops, Storefronts
Reader Comments (16)
The service at GRAB was horrible. I hope that will be improved with new management.
I just can't see how they stay in business with a Union Market two blocks away..
Because Union Market stinks. Service stinks, prices stink, and sometimes, it actually stinks.
Change the color or the appearance of the little signs on cheeses and meats and you could be at any of two dozen places in Park Slope. What distinguishes one from another? Service? Freshness? Price?
My vote goes either to Blue Apron or to Valley Shepherd.
Agree that Union Market is crap. I live nearby and NEVER shop at Union Market and ALWAYS go to grab (now Ploughman)
Obtained by less than ethical means from another buyer. So much for the 'neighbor' slant.
Unethical? I know the owner and she is anything but!
Will they honor my GRAB growler?...I also hope that there is a staff change. Grab was the employer of know nothing hipster snobs.
Yea, they fill Grab's old growlers. I've noticed some new staff, they even greeted me! The place has a great vibe. It's going to do really well, I think.
@anydaynow: shill alert
I loved Grab and was a major regular, spending all my money there! But I was upset when Laura discontinued the cheese punch cards. Laura said she'd keep honoring old ones, which I have a few that were close to being filled. I was extra upset when I went in 2 or so weeks ago (a few days after it was sold) to finally redeem them and Alice refused to honor my filled punch card. There was no heads up that it was being sold, though Laura did send out an email after the fact... basically saying she was deserting PS for Chelsea Market. Whatever.
So much for customer loyalty... especially with Union Market selling much of the same cheese. In fact, we NEVER bought cheese from UM until Laura stopped doing the punch cards. Those made us loyal customers, I felt I was getting something extra. Now, with nothing extra, I'll shop elsewhere when I'm elsewhere and not make the special attempt to go to exGrab for all my cheese and beer needs.
Also, Alice was not super friendly to me/my wife when we went in. We actually found her tone a bit rude. None the less, maybe she was having a bad day --we'll keep it on our list but so far we're a bit disappointed.
not shilling. Just saying.
Care to explain how this place was obtained by unethical means? Or are you just going to sling shit with nothing to back it up?
"I want The Ploughman to examplify the ethos of the neighborhood," she said. "We live here, we work here, we play here, we eat here!"
Some of us are also out of work here, (temporarily hopefully)!!! Lower your prices.
I love this place - they have great products.So far I've been regularly purchasing their duck rillette, coppa and speck.Their cheese selection is also fantastic. Great quality and great service. The owner has always been charming to me (even gave me bread for free when it was the end of the day).
laura totally sucked. it was a drain to go to grab and see her miserable face. had two run ins withe the new people and they seem lovely.
to the idiot upset that the new place wont honor the old places coupon, get a clue...in what universe does that ever happen?