A Homesense shopper is going viral on TikTok after sharing the absurd item she found on a random shelf at the store.
User @shannynlevyy, a reformer pilates instructor from Toronto, said she was perusing the store when she found a bizarre product on one of its shelves: A block of cheese.
“Have you ever seen cheese at Homesense? This block of cheese is literally sitting on the shelf, no fridge, no nothing,” @shannynlevyy said.
In the accompanying video caption, @shannynlevyy asked fellow Homesense shoppers whether they’ve ever seen a similar product at their stores.
“Lmk,” she wrote. As of Saturday, @shannynlevyy’s clip showing viewers the seemingly random cheese block had amassed more than 137,700 views.
What is HomeSense?
Homesense opened its first U.S. location in 2017. Over time, however, the discount store began opening more locations and garnering national attention from HomeGoods shoppers. According to CNBC, Homesense has huge lighting, art, and furniture sections. Its decor is also arranged by color. HomeGoods, on the other hand, sells more traditional furniture and has an entire section dedicated to kids.
So, HomeSense doesn’t sell food?
It does, in fact. According to Delish, Homesense has a large food section tucked within what the store calls its “Entertaining Marketplace.” Here, you can find both cookware and food, though the inventory is constantly changing.
In the write-up for Delish, the reporter noted that certain Homesense locations have a remarkable pasta section.
“Though the price tag is higher than your typical generic grocery-store brand, it’s still good compared to the fancier selection at stores like Whole Foods,” the writer noted.
Given the store’s proclivity for selling Italian foods (including pasta, sauces, and other toppings) it makes some sense that @shannynlevyy would find cheese on the shelves, right? Well, according to the Delish blogger, the food sold at HomeSense is meant to be shelf-stable, meaning it can be stored at room temperature if it remains in a sealed container.
Notably, Delish didn’t mention whether Homesense sold cheese. And no one online seemed to have a reported answer to this question, either.
@shannynlevyy Lmk
♬ original sound – shannynlevyy
Viewers weigh in
In the comments of @shannynlevyy’s video, other Homesense shoppers confirmed that they, too, have found the same cheese in their stores.
“I saw the same thing at the Kingston location,” one woman said.
“I also saw this the other day and was like wth,” another wrote. “It does say it’s a ‘processed cheese product’ so I guess it’s shelf stable?”
“I love the random food at homesense,” a third viewer added.
Indeed, the cheese at Homesense was from Hickory Farms and it sells the same jalapeno cheddar block on its own website. According to Hickory Farms, this product (along with its many other cheeses) can be shipped overseas. So it’s possible that this particular brand and product is shelf stable.
TikTok users confirmed this was true.
“Hickory farms are shelf stable,” one woman said. “They have stands in the middle of the malls.”
“Very popular the stands usually come out at Christmas time – if you get a hickory basket your special !!! It’s an expensive brand,” another user added.
And if you are lucky enough to get a Hickory Farms cheese block this holiday season, just be sure to refrigerate it after opening. Until then, though, you should be OK.
“Refrigerate after opening,” one person advised.
“I would read the back to see if the cheese might have said ‘refrigerate after opening,’” another echoed.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @shannynlevyy via TikTok comment and to Homesense by email.
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