My boss lady Minnie died gently last night at Mission Hospital, having had a stroke last Saturday morning. I will miss her, and try my best to keep the standard of the Picnics bakery on point, and all the other billion and one details of her beloved little shop that she would remind me of a million times a day.
And I will try to learn more Beatles and Johnny Cash songs in her honor as well. And get some more players to play with me, ‘the more the better’ she would say, and of course ‘play something with some pep!’
JRM
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Menu
The pies at The Picnic were always very good, but the rest of the food simply did not compare to the fruit pies. She was indeed a real character. I will feel like a piece of "Old North Asheville" is now gone each time I drive down Merrimon Ave.. RIP Pie Lady.
She could certainly put the sales pitch on you. In a time period when you can never get help from a real "salesperson", Minnie was refreshing in her enthusiasm for her treats. Most other restaurants and retail outlets simply hire order-takers who are watching the clock for the time when they can go home.
RIP Minnie, you were one of a kind.
She was a real character and institution in Asheville. Great pies, great sales person. She will be missed.
I loved how she called everyone Dolly. "Dolly you gotta try this". "Oh Dolly you gotta take one of these home." She was one in a million, and she and her pies were heavenly. RIP Minnie, may you find happiness and joy in Gods Kitchen.
Perhaps the greatest "hard sell" artist of all time! Minnie Smith could probably have made a fortune selling cars – or anything else for that matter – but I believe making pies and making people happy were honestly more important to her than making money. Minnie’s one-of-a-kind personality did however draw people in to help Picnics become a successful, Asheville landmark. The good food helped too. I met Minnie and Ron when I first moved here in 1998 and was always impressed by what a genuine, hard-working and loving mother-son team they made, a family operation in the truest sense. I was lucky enough to have been able to visit her last week and to say goodbye. Thanks, Ron.
"May the four winds blow you safely home."
I used to live in North Asheville and go up there all the time. Same story. Even if I was there for a slice of pie, she tried to sell me the whole thing. Awesome pie. A great spot that I hope stays around!
Benzie, awesome story. Thanks!
I would go to Picnics every weekend when working the desk at ACT. Loved it. And she was very friendly but was a huge salesperson of the desserts. I was there for the 1/4 chicken and three sides. Maybe a meatloaf. So i passed on desserts but she would wear me down with the hard sale. It was hilarious.