Caroline Nelin’s cheesy side hustle during college grew into a full-time business after she graduated from Virginia Tech . And now, the 24-year-old opened a Coastal Charcuterie store for her grab-and-go cheese boards at Hilltop West Shopping Center.

Nelin started casually making charcuterie boards for her friends and family while living at home during the pandemic during her junior year. Her business started to grow, and Nelin found herself busy delivering orders all over Virginia Beach.

When she returned to college, she continued making boards for students and different Virginia Tech organizations. Often, she would come home to Virginia Beach to fulfill orders too.

“I knew I had the creative eye for artisan boards and a vision for what Coastal Charcuterie could become,” Nelin said. “My parents’ support and encouragement made me decide to take a leap of faith and launch my business.”

Nelin said she followed her entrepreneurial intuition and fully invested herself into building the charcuterie business. Social media, word of mouth and repeat customers helped expand her business. She began catering for more events with grazing tables and then added options of charcuterie walls or carts. The cart, which is a mobile and customizable charcuterie setup, has been popular for pop-ups, baby showers, weddings and cocktail parties, she said.

“I love getting to work the charcuterie cart and engaging with guests as well as designing floral or balloon arrangements to match the event’s theme,” Nelin said. “We’re all about creating an experience.”

Nelin said as her business grew, it was clear she needed to open a physical shop. She had been working in a commercial kitchen and needed her own space to take it to the next level. When she came across the storefront in Hilltop off Laskin Road while doing an event, she knew it would be the perfect location.

“My hope is to make the shop a location where workshops can come to life and guests can find all the perfect pairing accoutrements,” she said. “We’re giving the community a space to not just pick up beautiful boards, but a place to learn, taste and gather.”

Nelin described the shop, which opened in April, as a one-stop charcuterie boutique. It sells grab-and-go boards, cheese, wine, Virginia peanuts, coastal goods and entertaining items as well as serve as a space for larger consultations.

“Getting to connect with people through my love of crafting charcuterie is what it’s all about for me,” she said. “Whether it’s creating a custom board or enhancing a special event with our wall or cart, every order becomes a special part of someone’s day.”

For more information, visit coastalcharcuterievb.com .