DANIELLE BUTTRAM

Whatever time of day, Picnic Market and Mercantile offers the variety of a boutique shop with the freshness of a local farmer’s market—all in the heart of Historic Downtown Acworth, GA.

Located in a former 1900s dry goods store, Picnic was born of passion for local products and community—to feed and to serve. Since 2019, this one-stop-marketplace has become a storefront for local food artisans and gift purveyors.

The market is owned by familiar Acworth faces—newlyweds Danielle and Tyler Buttram. Danielle is former owner of the ever-popular Pearl’s Spa (once owned by her mother), and you might have met Tyler when he bartended at Henry’s Louisiana Grill or coached soccer for Hillgrove High School.

We recently sat down with Danielle to talk about what makes Picnic so special.

How did you come up with the idea for Picnic?

When I was little, we lived near a small downtown. I grew up being able walk to town and get a popsicle, then go to my grandmother’s house. When I moved to Acworth 15 years ago, I found that same charm and knew I wanted to be a part of the magic happening here.

When I owned Pearl’s Spa, I worked downtown and had short lunch breaks. In the evenings, I’d walk the few steps from the backdoor of my business to my home. That’s when I realized there was nothing quick and easy to just grab and sit on a park bench at lunch, or a quick place to pick up food in the evening for dinner. That was the need I saw.

How did family tradition influence your vision?

I grew up hanging around my grandmother’s antique country store. It was like a hardware store that carried everything—that’s what I had in mind for Picnic. It’s also why we use the word mercantile— because it’s an old word.

Even the energy of the building supports what we’re doing. When you come in the door, the hardwood floors and tongue and groove ceiling are all original—the bones are still here.

Did Picnic really start as a Kickstarter project?

The Kickstarter campaign, funded through the help of friends, residents and family members, helped us buy refrigerators, grab-and-go coolers, stock for the store, and proper licensing. We brought the building up to code and reconstructed the back porch and restroom. The campaign helped us get on our feet.

Tell us about Picnic’s mission.

We’re a single-stop market that feeds the community—a micro-grocer and specialty shop where people who live nearby can walk or drive their golf carts to grab an easy lunch or dinner, or staples to cook a meal at home. We’re also the place where visitors can pick up quick bites, picnic meals, and great local finds.

Perhaps more importantly, we’re a storefront for vendors who don’t have brick-and-mortar shops.  Blue Collar Joe Coffee Co. sets up at farmer’s markets but doesn’t have an actual store that represents their brand. The same is true for Ellison Quinn Dinners and Nagel’s Bagels. We represent about 30 local vendors, with fresh vegetables, produce, and new products delivered weekly.

Speaking of fresh, what’s good to grab on the go?

You can come in and brew a cup of Blue Collar Joe coffee. We have a whole set up where you can make a French press, a pour-over, or an iced coffee.

Fresh donuts are delivered on Wednesdays, with danishes and bakery items stocked for the weekend. Some of my favorites are the cheese straws from McEntryre’s Bakery in Smyrna.

Our seasonal and farm fresh produce stand currently features strawberries, carrots and Brussels sprouts. We’re becoming licensed as a grocery store and will offer even more fresh goods as we grow.

Beef and pork are delivered from just 20 minutes away. Soon, we hope to stock more seasonal fare, including fresh oysters.

Cheeses and sliced deli meat all come from Georgia (I love the cranberry and zest Chèvre goat cheese), perfect for charcuterie boards. In addition, we have everything you need for a pasta dinner, including wine and desert. We also carry pop-in-the-oven dinners, grab-and-go snacks like hummus and fresh veggies, cheese platters, and chicken salad.

Popsicles are a staple, featuring a variety from Popbar of Alpharetta (vanilla dipped in white chocolate and sprinkles is

a personal favorite), plus we carry Flux Ice Cream—organic, gluten-free ice cream and sorbets from Woodstock, Georgia.

Tell us about gifts.

My vision is to have the perfect housewarming or hostess gifts. We offer everything from cast iron skillets to local artwork, specializing in made-in-Georgia gift baskets.

People love local jams. We have three different jam companies, and we have to restock all the time. A favorite jam is the hot pepper bacon jam.

1803 Candles are another favorite. The soy candles come in a classic Mason-style jar and burn 80 hours. The scented Cornbread and Honey candle is our number one seller.

We have picnic baskets, some including all the plates and wine glasses. Our packable yard games make for an afternoon at Lake Acworth or Cauble Park. My favorite item is a waterproof picnic blanket with a good liner so if the ground is damp, it won’t affect folks.

What do you love about Acworth?

Mayor Allegood is a very forward-thinking person. He saw something in Acworth. We also saw it. When my mom and I opened Pearl’s Spa, we believed in what the mayor was saying, and we’re so glad we did.

I think it’s all about relationships, honestly. That’s what I learned from both my mother’s and grandmother’s businesses—the stronger the relationship, the more loyal the customers.

With Picnic, we get to tell the stories of many. Being able to talk about the farm that the strawberries come from, or the guy who raises cows for the beef—and really knowing those people—that’s a personal connection with the food we are bringing home and eating. I think it’s what people are looking for, what’s special to us, and special to our community.

We welcome you to pull up a stool, share a story, and be a part of our community.