Edible Food Find: EDEX Provisions
Photos by Linda Campos
Peabody natives Daybar and Phil Bulger are breaking barriers, one cheese board at a time.
As you walk down Main Street in Peabody, you’ll come across Eat Drink Explore (EDEX) Provisions, a quaint specialty market and the first Black female owned cheese shop in New England.
Daybar and Phil met at Peabody High School, but didn’t cross paths until they both worked at Brooksby Senior Center. Phil worked as a chef in the kitchen while Daybar was a part of the waitstaff, and the rest is history. After their time at Brooksby, Daybar went on to work for local cheese shops in the Greater Boston area, becoming a cheesemonger and gourmet food buyer, while Phil worked as a sous chef in restaurants around Boston.
The dream of owning their own cheese shop turned into a reality in 2022 when the town of Peabody awarded Daybar and Phil a community loan to build out EDEX Provisions, a space to share their passion for cheese and the art of charcuterie. EDEX’s motto is “Cheese for All,” and they bring that energy to the community by accommodating most allergies and dietary restrictions. Daybar and Phil’s son has a nut allergy, and Phil follows a gluten-free diet, so the inclusive nature of their business and catering products is a pillar of their business model. Retail products they offer include cheese, vegan cheese and accoutrements that are nut-free and gluten-free, as well.
Three years since EDEX Provision’s inception, the question to ask is what doesn’t EDEX Provisions do?
When a customer walks into the shop, Daybar and Phil enthusiastically describe their monthly cheese club, art of charcuterie workshop, nonalcoholic wine and cheese pairing course, mocktail creation workshops and cheese education classes. Aside from their robust classes and workshops, Daybar and Phil enjoy creating personal charcuterie boxes on the spot and discussing the origins of their cheeses.
Phil’s inner chef comes out when he talks about their “melting menu,” which he wants to bring back to the store later in the year and will include one specialty cheese-focused sandwich per week. In the meantime, EDEX Provisions is sampling and taking their melting menu to local breweries on the North Shore in an effort to expose more people to quality cheese.
While people can go to the grocery store to buy their cheese, Daybar and Phil emphasize that the quality and education are not the same as frequenting a local cheese shop like EDEX Provisions. The small but mighty shop carries between 35–45 cheeses at a time and they carry a wide selection of nonalcoholic options to pair with the cheese. Daybar and Phil take time with their customers to talk through what cheese will pair best with what wine, food, etc. so they will leave having had the most informed cheese experience.
EDEX Provisions is open seven days a week for catering orders and same-day charcuterie pickups or local delivery.
By the end of 2026, Daybar and Phil plan to expand from their two-person show into a small team and be open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for walk-in purchases of cheese, sandwiches and charcuterie boards from their storefront.
edexprovisions.com
50 Main St., Peabody
This story appeared in the Summer 2026 issue.
