Empire Mayonnaise Co., a small-batch artisanal mayo company that had been selling their flavors at Smorgasburg and the Brooklyn Flea, opened their first brick-and-mortar shop at 564 Vanderbilt Avenue on Sunday, reports The Brooklyn Ink.
With an Easter opening date, the Empire team got into the spirit, giving away deviled eggs made with White Truffle, Red Chili and Smoked Paprika mayonnaise, along with glasses of champagne, samples of their other offerings and coupons for the shop, says the Ink.
The company is helmed by former WD-50 pastry chef Sam Mason (also the owner of Lady Jay’s bar in Williamsburg, and former host of IFC’s “Dinner With the Band”) and designer Elizabeth Valleau, who “came up with the idea while enjoying some lime mayonnaise in a restaurant,” says their Facebook page.
“There’s just really nothing else out there [like our product],” co-owner Elizabeth Valleau told the Ink. , formerly of WD-50.
The company was founded in 2011 with the goal of creating mayonnaise with "exotic flavors and formulations" using natural and organic local eggs and flavors when possible, according to Empire's website. Flavors include Smoked Paprika, Walnut, Lime Pickle, Black Garlic, White Truffle, Bacon, Nori and Red Chili.
The Ink says that the retail space is only about 100-square-feet, and that’s mainly because the pair were tired of renting commercial kitchen space, and needed a place to process and stock orders.
The shop currently sells 12 different flavors at $6 to $8 per 4-ounce jar – and even has plans for a vegan line, Ink reports.
The store will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. most weekdays, and from about 1 to 4 p.m. on weekends.
