The East Nashville and citywide food communities suffered a loss this week with the death of Kathleen Cotter. Cotter, who was 54, founded The Bloomy Rind, Nashville’s artisan cheese shop and cheese wholesaler, and with it introduced thousands of people to American cheeses and Southeastern cheeses, and helped them connect to regional cheesemakers.
Cotter, who valued her privacy, battled pancreatic cancer for two-and-a-half years, although the public and her acquaintances were unaware. She continued running a business, traveling the world, and sharing in friends' and family members’ achievements and celebrations in between treatments. While Cotter’s life was cut too short, she packed a lot into her years, having worked in the music industry and in corporate human resources before deciding to become an entrepreneur and support other aspiring entrepreneurs.
“When she quit [her HR job] and started The Bloomy Rind, I thought it was the bravest thing I’d seen from a friend — quitting a safe and secure job and going out on your own,” says Aaron Distler, owner of Mr. Aaron’s Goods. “I never really told her how much it inspired me, but it gave me a lot of courage when I went off on my own path. She led the way by example, selling to the best restaurants in town, making friends with customers and doing retail sales. She made a real difference and connected with folks. She definitely forged a path for all of us to follow and will leave a huge hole in the community.”
Cotter spoke up for the things she believed in, whether that meant having access for kayaking on the Cumberland River even as football stadium construction threatened public access, protecting women’s rights or helping people understand the connection to artisan food purveyors.
Longtime friends — including Katie Paden Sturdivant, who grew up with Cotter outside Atlanta — tell the Scene about her thoughtfulness for others and for the community.
“When I think of Kathleen, I think of someone who showed up — which is not something I can confidently say about many people these days,” says Virginia McMahon, general manager and master captain at River Queen Voyages. “But beyond her literal presence on the water and in our Season Pass program, she also always showed up any time she could support us. Whether it was reshares or likes on social media or writing the Metro Council to help us advocate for our river access, Kathleen was right there with a full heart and resolute confidence. She deeply cared about her community, and she acted on it in ways both big and small. Her loss is not just devastating for our River Queen family, but for Nashville as a whole.”
Online and wholesale options are still operating
Chris Carter, one of the owners of Porter Road Butcher — who shared their retail space on Gallatin Avenue with The Bloomy Rind for a number of years — remembers meeting Cotter when both businesses were starting up and had booths at the East Nashville Farmers Market. “Every Wednesday, after shutting down the farmers market, we would shut down 3 Crow," says Carter, who was among the friends who called Cotter “Cheesie.” He says he admired the no-nonsense way she educated customers about cheese, and the years she founded and ran the Southern Artisan Cheese Festival.
According to an Instagram post from The Bloomy Rind, Cotter’s brother and dedicated employees will continue to order cheese and serve wholesale restaurant clients.
Nonprofits Cotter supported included Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee (she chaired their Generous Helpings fundraiser several times), the Cumberland River Compact and Les Dames d’Escoffier Nashville (of which she was a member). Any of those organizations or Alive Hospice would be appropriate places to make a charitable donation in her name. Her family is planning a celebration-of-life service for September or October.
