Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to correct AP style errors.

There is nothing more satisfying than the aesthetic of a charcuterie board — a mouth-watering combination of fruits, meats, cheeses and more, and now, a new establishment is bringing this to Aggieland.

The Board Room by Graze & Gala, a local charcuterie board business, will launch its first in-person location in early February 2024. The storefront will be located in the heart of Bryan’s Lake Walk District, an upscale outdoor area filled with boutique shopping, unique restaurants and live entertainment. 

During the boredom of the COVID-19 pandemic, owner Meredith Dickey stumbled upon a new passion: creating charcuterie boards. Dickey said the idea sparked for the brick-and-mortar store back in March after the continued success of her first company, Graze & Gala. 

“I wanted to do this full time, but I needed to have a good establishment,” Dickey said. “I wanted to have a place where I can [host] people and events … I wanted my own space.” 

The boards Dickey makes incorporate items like salami roses, fig spreads, sliced cheeses topped with fresh herbs and Ferrero Rocher or Ghirardelli chocolates, according to Graze & Gala’s website. The boards range from $75-300 in price and from small to extra large in size, with one option being “feeds a crowd,” that serves up to 26 people.

“The Board Room will have new offers I’ve never done before,” Dickey said. “I’ll have build your own charcuterie board classes, wine and cheese pairings, fun girl’s nights and events.”

Dickey said she plans to include a retail section in her new store after customer feedback. This will include a variety of crackers, jams, olives, pickles, meats, cheeses and chocolates, among other items.

“If you want a charcuterie board but not an elaborate one made by me, you can come in and shop [for] literally anything that comes on my boards,” Dickey said.

The storefront will have grab-and-go charcuterie cups and cones, as well as an option to order ahead. Store hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., according to The Board Room’s website. 

After a collaboration with Aggieland Humane Society, The Board Room will feature something for furry friends, Dickey said, with ‘bark-cuterie’ boxes for sale in the store’s retail section. This will include a charcuterie-themed, dog friendly treat.

The initial online business of Graze & Gala began when a friend of Dickey’s asked to buy one of her charcuterie boards after seeing her post them on Instagram. After the fact, he encouraged her to sell them. 

“He was like, ‘Would you actually make me one of your boards? My fiancée [is] obsessed with them,’” Dickey said.

Originally thinking no one would want to buy her creative boards, Dickey said she now sees how fast her business has taken off. The business has expanded to include elaborate crudité platters, brunch spreads, sandwiches and salads, according to Graze & Gala’s website. 

“For the first year and a half, it wasn’t really a business,” Dickey said. “It was more of a food blog and a thing I did for friends and family … but now it’s definitely my full-time career.”

Kate Chapman, marketing director for Lake Walk, said she was one of Dickey’s first Graze & Gala customers during the Christmas of 2020.

“I had her do [charcuterie] boxes as Christmas gifts for some friends,” Chapman said. “From that very beginning, you could tell she had a passion for this — entertaining and talking to people.”

Julieanna Diaz, a former co-worker of Dickey’s at Oldham Goodwin, said she learned of Graze & Gala when Dickey would bring charcuterie boards to work.

“I got to taste her stuff before I even knew what Graze & Gala was,” Diaz said. “I was like, ‘Oh, this is really good.’”

Diaz won Graze & Gala’s Halloween giveaway this year and enjoyed a special coffin-themed charcuterie board. Dickey’s business truly reflects how she connects with people, Chapman said. 

“I think the business she created in Graze & Gala is a testament to her personality, interests and unique ways of being able to connect with people,” Chapman said. “What better way to connect with people over charcuterie, food that encourages conversation, collaboration and gathering.”

The Board Room is a full circle moment for Dickey, Chapman said, since Dickey was a marketing intern for The Local at Lake Walk in 2020. 

“She was a part of Lake Walk from a different perspective and now she will be a part of us as a permanent member of our Lake Walk community,” Chapman said. 

Chapman said she is thrilled to add The Board Room to the uniqueness of Lake Walk. 

“We look for businesses that offer something unique and special to this community that you can’t find anywhere else,” Chapman said. “To offer a business like The Board Room here at Lake Walk, we think it adds something new to the Bryan-College Station market.” 

A ton of growth has happened over the span of a year, and Dickey said she is excited for what The Board Room will offer to the community.

“The amount of support that people have given me in my business is shockingly insane,” Dickey said. “I would not be able to take this step without that support … that means more to me than anyone could ever imagine.”