Our Story

The story of Pick-O-Deli actually begins up the road on Rockmart Highway, where James P. Turner Sr. ran a frozen food distribution center. After years of producing and distributing items like pizza pockets and BBQ, Mr. Turner decided he wanted to serve people something fresh. In 1981, he rented a small building and started cooking.

It quickly became the go-to spot for biscuits. Everything was made from scratch, and the meats were prepared right there in the store. People could tell the difference, and word spread fast.

Mr. Turner then bought the building next door, which had been an old convenience store. He gutted the place and turned it into a sandwich shop that also carried some groceries. Several different ideas were tried out in that space, each one getting a little closer to what the community really wanted.

Jimmy's two daughters grew up in the restaurant. They spent their childhood helping their dad grind sausage while standing on milk crates, learning the business from the ground up before they could even see over the counter. They later joined the staff officially and worked alongside the family through their college years.

When James Turner Sr. passed away in 2014, Jimmy purchased the Pick-O-Deli building and property from his sisters. Debbie Turner White took over the Gravy Boat, and Turner Food Systems was dissolved. Each business went its own way, but the heart of what Mr. Turner Sr. started remained the same.

Three generations have now poured themselves into this place. The recipes, the work ethic, the commitment to doing things the right way: all of it has been handed down, and all of it shows up on your plate every single day.