We had the good fortune of connecting with Kurt Gurdal and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kurt, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
It was a combination of things.

1. My father and mother were entrepreneurs and owned a few cheese shops in Cambridge, Boston and New York City. My father always taught me to create my own, so I wanted to create something I would be proud of and shop in.
2. The food industry is a tricky place to say the least. A lot of big personalities, a lot of mistreatment of staff members. That being said, I worked for some gems of people as well. I didn’t want to be part of the mistreatment problem and wanted to create a space where people would enjoy coming to work and felt safe and comfortable.
3. To have the ability to do things they way I wanted to do them, instead of getting frustrated. I kept on getting aggravated at the places I worked asking why don’t they do this, why don’t they do that. I was silly, at the end of the day. Every business owner has the right to do whatever they choose, so I decided I needed to start my own and to stop complaining.
4. I missed the vibe of my parents’ shop. They were a neighborhood hub for. the community while selling amazing food. I wanted to establish that and create ties with the community I’m in.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
What set us apart: Experience. This is literally in my blood. My parents owned and operated neighborhood cheese shops/grocery stores for over 40 years. I grew up sleeping on the flour bags, packaging bulk holiday candy before I could walk and eventually getting formal training from them and the best cheese shop in the world – Neals Yard Dairy

What we are most proud of: That we are finally here and the reception from the community is so great! It took over 12 years to get here. It seemed like an unattainable goal and I was working in a very crazy industry with a lot of highs and lows. I came super close to calling it quits. I even looked up computer programming bootcamps, nursing school, etc. Although my shop is tiny, very tiny, it’s mine and it’ss a goal I finally reached. It feels so good!

How I got here: It was tough. I would love to say experience would give you an automatic road to success but that’s not the case. I grinded every day early in my career and didn’t really let my foot off the gas while working for others. Long hours, low pay, and high stress jobs working in restaurant market concepts in LA. Plus, it was new to me to work in restaurants. Let’s just say working with chefs is difficult… I wanted to open a shop of my own the day I touched down in LA, but I had no money, actually living out of my car in a Vons parking lot, managing a market in the Brentwood Country Mart. My only meals were family meals at the restaurant and my first paychecks went to the food for my dogs. I also didn’t have the lay of the land. As I started to understand LA more and learn about neighborhoods, I began making business plans, but my start up costs were huge and I didn’t know how to approach investors. Side note, LA was a big culture shock for me. The restaurant I first worked at was busy Monday-Sunday for breakfast! I always thought to myself early on, “don’t these people work?” The way I opened up was organic. One of the first customers I met 12 years ago was a woman from Boston and I carried her groceries out to her car. She said I had to meet her sister. Her sister, Susan is like my family out here. She believed in me and supported me and was the one who introduced me to Frank Langen, owner of Canyon Square and my landlord. He allowed me to set up two 6 ft tables in his courtyard on Saturdays and Sundays and sling artisanal cheese and other specialty items. It was funny, people were confused, like who is this whacko selling cheese in the sun (I shaded it and kept it in coolers). I was doing this while working full time at a market in Venice. After about two years of doing that, Frank walked up to me and said “what are we doing here?” and this little 120 sq ft place opened up in the courtyard. He said, “let’s give this a go,” and we did! In the end, me grinding early on didn’t mean I was owed anything, but working hard and persistence was what mattered. No task is too small and it’s my name on the line, so I work.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Always love a burger and beer at Hinanos. I love a cold Stella and to watch the Celts at Mercedes Bar & Grille. For food, Dudley Market to crush oysters and crudo and Agnes in Pasadena for some amazing food and a frosty Champagne Velvet. Then just walking the dog on the beach and coming to hang out with my friends while playing volleyball on Yawl St. We live on the Marina/Venice border and love the area. Sunset walks are A-ok.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Hopefully I can do multiples, if not I am doing them in order, sorry, lol.

My wife Kelly. She is my rock and everything. I could not have done this and continued to do this without her amazing support and checking me when I need to be checked.

My Pops. He taught me a strong work ethic.

Susan. For believing in me when no one else did and making the introduction to Frank to have my business.

Frank. For being an amazing man and being the best landlord a tiny shop could ask for.

Website: https://www.kurtandwhey.com

Instagram: thecanyongrocer

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