We came to Lake Toxaway on vacation in October of 2000. Chris is originally from Pennsylvania (via Florida for 34 yrs. so he is now a Halfback!) and Robin is a native Floridian (now a FL Escapee!!). We drove up at night in the fog and were just happy to make it on all those curvy roads. When we woke up the next morning (we were staying at a friend’s home on the lake) and saw all the gorgeous color on Toxaway Mountain… we were hooked!! The earliest we could move up was 2005 and that is exactly what we did and have not looked back since.
We absolutely love the beauty of this area and the people. Chris went into real estate and we did property management for quite a few years. In 2017 we found out that the market and the restaurant in Lake Toxaway were not going to be reopening so we decided to take a leap of faith and opened the Historic Toxaway Market. We wanted the market to be different in that we carry as much organic, non-GMO, Gluten Free type food as we can. We realized the need for this type of business after living here for years so with the help of our wine distributors and many friends and family, we opened the market on July 1, 2017. It has been a huge learning experience but a great community to make it a success.
In December of 2019 we found out the store across the road from us was closing. We have been listening to our customers wants over the years and kept hearing “coffee” and “ice cream” so on June 29, 2020, we opened the Historic Toxaway Market Mountain Café…. (Coffee Shop and Ice Cream Parlor) in that location. Endeavoring to bring back business to this community, we feel that this expansion has been a welcome addition to the Toxaway presence and stature in the county!! We renamed the Cafe in June of 2023 to separate it from the Market (better for bookkeeping)….new name is Sweetwater Perk & Creamery!!
We look forward to serving this community for many years to come… see you soon😊
Chris and Robin Pickel
