Vintage LBC Verified listing

The Vintage LBC, Bixby Knoll’s much-loved cheese-and-wine space, had long been up for sale. Former owner Vanessa Harmon—who, along with her manager, Allison Porzner, basically created the space from top to bottom after Cheese Addiction vacated the space mid-pandemic—just had to find the right taker.

And that she found in Josh Rivera and Adriana Rodriguez.

When it comes to the business itself, Josh doesn’t talk about The Vintage LBC like someone who acquired a business. He talks about it like someone who finally got to protect a piece of his family and neighborhood’s story.

Long before he and his wife, Adriana, officially took over the beloved Bixby Knolls cheese and wine shop from founder Vanessa earlier this year, they were among its regulars. Their children devoured Lunchables while the couple lingered over cheese flights and glasses of wine. Living less than a mile away, they often walked to the shop, eventually weaving it into the rhythm of their family life. So when the business quietly hit the market, the decision wasn’t one of opportunity as much as destiny.

“At this exact table [pictured above] is where the deal went down,” Josh said. “My wife and two kids—we used to come here all the time. My kids would get the Lunchable offering on the menu. My wife and I would get the cheese flights and taste wine… We love this place. We were less than a mile away, and we would walk here. When we found out it was for sale, we were like, ‘This is ours.’ We’re part of the memory. We’re part of the community.”

Written and photos by Brian Addison.

For Brian Addison's full feature on The Vintage LBC, click here.