Picnic Opens at the Seven Ten Split Building
Greg Prugh developed the Seven Ten Split building as a permanent home for Gary Bennett’s State Farm business. What was a bowling alley in the 80s and 90s, today houses 7 businesses including Senator Enzi’s office, Hoyt Architects, GE Johnson and Levy Coleman Brodie, all anchored by a place to grab coffee and catch up.
In November, the Seven Ten Split building will be home to Picnic, an offshoot of local favorite, Persephone Bakery—owned by husband and wife team Ali and Kevin Cohane— and we couldn’t be happier to have this new Jackson eatery next door.
Serving breakfast and lunch, the café is “defined by creativity” with classic Persephone pastries—sticky buns, brownies, biscuits – and a toast menu. Coffee is taken seriously with cold brew on nitro tap and a single-cup, single-origin brewing system. A grab-and-go case will stock premade salads, sandwiches and puddings (prime for picnics).
It’s no secret we love to see modern design in this community, and Picnic delivers on all fronts with bold, whimsical design by Nona Yehia of E/YE Design combined with outdoorsy elements such as a wall papered hand-drawn forest and an installation of Paul Villinski butterflies from Tayloe Piggott Gallery.
In anticipation of the opening, we sat down with Ali Cohane to hear a little more about her new venture.
Q: Tell me a bit about yourself and how you got into the bakery business?
A: We started wholesale in 2010, and opened the cafe in 2012, but the seed was planted 9 years ago when Kevin went to pastry school in Paris. We had both always worked in restaurants, and although it wasn’t my original dream (my education is in graphic design), the pieces just fell into place. Once we found a retail space I jumped in, and now I can’t stop! The business is so fun. I get to design, and eat, and chat, and build a community in my workplace. It’s pretty much perfect.
Q: How did you find your way to Jackson Hole?
A: I’m from Chicago, went to school in Colorado (where the mountain madness was born), and came out here in 2004. Kevin and I left to live in Paris and Chicago, but we always knew Jackson Hole is where we would end up. We just had to learn and live in a few other places before we could really get started.
Q: What do you love most about having a business in Jackson Hole?
A: Really it’s all about the community. I love our town, and I love all the wonderful people I have met because of Persephone. Jacksonites are very supportive of one another. Everyday we get to know and connect with all the people who make up our incredible town. I couldn’t ask for a better job.
Q: What inspires you?
A: Design of all kinds. Whether it’s interior design, graphic design, plating design—it’s all about aesthetics to me. Picnic—our most recent coffee shop/cafe endeavor that lies just south of town—was really a fun project for our architect, Nona Yehia, and I to explore modern aesthetics and connect them to this Western town. We incorporated all kinds of textures that are inherent in traditional Western design, but tried to take them in a different direction. You will also see a lot of graphic elements. Pattern was very important.
Q: It’s evident that you love this town. However, is there anything you would like to see change?
A: Honestly, the longer I live here the more I love it. Little things that used to make me long to return to Chicago (like art house movie theaters and shopping—lots and lots of shopping), are now things I indulge in on vacation, and typically after a week I can’t wait to get back home.
Q: Ok, now for the obvious question. What’s your favorite pastry?
A: I love our kouign amann (queen aman). It’s slightly sweet and so delicious! But we will have a whole different menu of pastries at Picnic so I’m not sure what will be my new favorite. Long ago, I decided to leave the baking to my husband. It’s one of the reasons we have a great partnership.
