Mr. Pickles offers fundraisers for Little League team

Stepping into Mr. Pickles Sandwich Shop is like walking into a perpetual Petaluma pep rally. From the decor to the sandwich names, everything about the shop celebrates the local sports community. So it’s no surprise that when the Athletic Edge 13-under baseball team needed help fundraising so they could play in the National Youth Baseball Tournament in New York, Mr. Pickles was an obvious partner.

“We’re calling it ‘Petaluma Little League Finds Themselves in a Pickle,’” said Krista Gawronski, who owns Mr. Pickles with her husband, Paul.

The fundraising will begin this Saturday during the famed Butter and Egg Days Parade, where Gawronski will be dancing in the store’s massive promotional pickle costume. Following the parade, she’ll head in full costume to the Little League booth. Everyone who donates $20 or more will earn a raffle ticket for a free Pickle Party, which ensures the winner platters of sandwiches for their next event.

A week later, on Saturday, May 4, Mr. Pickles will host a “dine and donate,” during which 15 percent of the day’s proceeds will be donated to the Little League team. That same day, the shop will also host a bake sale to benefit Adobe Creek Center.

Giving back has always been a big part of Mr. Pickles.

“We have watched students and athletes grow up and we have been able to support schools, sports teams and local families,” Gawronski said. “We laugh because we lost our identities as ‘Krista and Paul’ a long time ago. We are now ‘Mr. and Mrs. Pickle.’”

That was one of the Gawronskis’ goals in bringing this family-focused restaurant to Petaluma: to create a place where community could gather. In 2005, the couple opened the shop in a newly developed office park at the corner of South McDowell and Lakeville. While inspired by other now-franchised sandwich shops of the same name, Mr. Pickles has always been independently owned and operated in Petaluma.

“When Paul and I decided to open Mr. Pickles Sandwich Shop we really wanted to establish a family friendly place that was hip and celebrated local spirit,” Krista Gawronski said. “I had originally come from the grocery business and Paul was a parts manager for an automotive dealer, so we felt confident that we could plug in our skills and give it a go.”

The menu was inspired by their family and the community. Sandwiches like the Trojan, Mustang and Gaucho honor area high school mascots, while the Tony Soprano is an ode to the couple’s favorite TV show, “The Sopranos.” The menu includes 20 sandwich options along with a selection of salads, plus a wide range of sides and non-alcoholic drinks. Today, the chicken salad sandwich, called the Hole Shot, is a best seller. “There is something magical about the chicken salad,” Gawronski said. “People come in and buy it by the tub, people request it for their parties and holiday celebrations, and some have gone so far as to call it their addiction.”

The Gawronskis have offered up their business for the benefit of the community since the early days. As the founder of the Petaluma Fabulous Women, Krista Gawronski has thrown dozens of fundraisers for families in need, with Mr. Pickles often serving as the event’s home base. The family has close ties to the local sports community. Oldest son Frank was a powerhouse on the Casa Grande football, golf and basketball teams, while youngest son Vince plays basketball for St. Vincent.

“In addition to making a difference locally and bringing roots to Petaluma, the biggest surprise and pride for us as owners is realizing how we have established an extended family within our staff,” Gawronski said. “We have had several employees get married and start families of their own. That’s right, we have Pickle grandchildren.”

Mr. Pickles’ is the kind of place anyone feels welcomed. Children’s artwork hangs on the wall alongside pictures of the high school sports teams and longtime customers. It’s a place that is much like the Gawronskis themselves, always warm and inviting.

“The vibe in the shop is like ‘Cheers’ without the beer,” Gawronski says.