March 17, 2020

The Pickle Barrel has reopened under new ownership.

Katelyn Cameron bought the business from Jenny O’Brien who opened the sandwich shop in 2004 in the Park Ridge Galleria at 26th Street and Western Avenue.

Cameron said she’s planning to uphold the reputation of The Pickle Barrel, which is known for its high-quality ingredients, bread that’s baked on site and made-from-scratch soups and desserts.

She and her husband, TJ, have a background in the restaurant and bar industry, but she is trained as a paralegal and worked most recently as a legal assistant. Cameron became a Pickle Barrel customer after the sandwich shop catered meals where she worked.

“We did have some larger restaurant experience for a few years, and although we didn’t love the large restaurant atmosphere, really liked the industry. So Katelyn has had a little desire in the back of her mind, even ever since then, to do it again but maybe smaller,” said TJ Cameron, who is a director for Profile by Sanford.

O’Brien, who bought the flagship Pickle Barrel in Bozeman, Mont., and moved there, will be back in Sioux Falls for a couple of weeks to help the Camerons with the transition, and two of her Bozeman employees are here now helping. The staff is a mix of new and former employees, Cameron said.

While opening a restaurant in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic might seem overwhelming, the Camerons are moving forward with optimism.

The Pickle Barrel offers online ordering, and the Camerons are talking with the retail center’s landlord about designating a couple of parking spots for curbside pickup. The business also works with Food Dudes for delivery.

The restaurant seats 32 inside and 18 in the retail center’s corridor, so customers have room to spread out.

O’Brien had reduced hours before selling the business, and the Camerons aren’t planning to change them for now.

“As we learn the business and staff appropriately so we can serve our customers, we’ll look at expanding them again,” TJ Cameron said.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.