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Small Business Spotlight: Charm City Picnic

Small Business Spotlight: Charm City Picnic
REPORTER: I'M LISA ROBINSON IN PATTERSON PARK WITH THE OWNER OF CHARM CITY PICNIC, ALLIE CHAVIS. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. REPORTER: YOU STARTED THIS BUSINESS NOT TOO LONG AGO. HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE PICNIC IDEA. >> I WAS INSPIRED BY THE TIME WE'RE LIVING IN TODAY WITH COVID AND QUARANTINING AND SOCIAL DISTANCING AND TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO SPEND TIME WITH LOVED ONES BUT SAFELY AT THE SAME TIME. REPORTER: SO WHAT'S THE IDEA? YOU HAVE PEOPLE COME TO YOU TO PUT TOGETHER A PICNIC WITH THEIR FRIENDS? >> YEAH. SO THINK OF IT AS AN EVENT SERVICE. I HAVE PEOPLE THAT REACH OUT THAT WANT TO DO INDOOR OR OUTDOOR PICNIC SERVICES FOR SMALL GROUPS, UP TO TEN PEOPLE. AND MOST OF THE TIME, MY CUSTOMERS COME UP WITH A DESIGN OR A THEME THAT THEY WANT TO WORK WITH. AND WE TRY TO MAKE THEIR VISION COME TO LIFE. REPORTER: YOU HAVE HAND SANITIZER AND ALL THOSE THINGS TO MAKE IT SAFE. >> YES, THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO US, TO NOT ONLY FOLLOW SOCIAL DISTANCE GUIDELINES BUT MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE WHEN THEY'RE PICNICKING AND OUTDOORS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. BUT IF OUR CUSTOMERS WANT TO DO IT IN THE SAFETY OF THEIR OWN HOME, THAT'S AN OPTION TOO. >> OKAY. SO THERE'S THINGS THAT ARE STANDARD AT YOUR PICNICS THAT YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE. >> SETUP IS INCLUDED. BREAKDOWN IS INCLUDED. WE'LL SUPPLY THE PICNIC TABLES, THE PILLOWS, THE BLANKET, AND THEN JUST SERVING TRIES AS WELL AS ANY ADD-ONES THAT OUR CUSTOMERS WANT TO INCLUDE. >> YOU GO AROUND AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THE PILLOWS AND THINGS LIKE THAT? >> YEAH. SO WE JUST KIND OF GO WITH WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH. OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE IT AS COMFY AND COZY AS POSSIBLE BUT ALSO STILL MAKE SURE OUR CLIENT'S VISIONS ARE COMING TO LIFE AND WHAT THEY AMATO BRING TO THEIR OWN PERSONAL EVENT. REPORTER: SPEAKING OF CLIENTS, MARA CANNES IS A CLIENT. YOU HAD ONE OF THESE. WHY DID YOU WANT TO? >> EWANTED TO HAVE GIRLS OUTING AND HAVE MY MAKEUP WORKSHOP. I CONTACTED ALLISON. IT TURNED OUT NICE. I WANTED TO HAVE A SLEEK BO HO. IT TURNED OUT BEAUTIFUL. REPORTER: PEOPLE ARE WONDERING ABOUT SOCIAL DISTANCING, THAT KIND OF THING. HOW DID IT WORK FOR YOUR PICNIC. >> WE MET ALL THE COVID GUIDELINES. EVERYONE HAD THE DISTANCE. SHE PROVIDED A BASKET WITH HAND SANITIZER, WIPES. SHE WAS VERY PROFESSIONAL WITH EVERYTHING. WE ALSO HAD OUR GUIDELIE WITH THE GIRLS SPREADED OUT WITH DISTANCE. WE HAD UP TO, LIKE, TEN PEOPLE FOR MY PICNIC AND THE WAY SHE SET UP THE CUSHIONS SO EVERY GIRL HAD DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM. IT'S SOMETHING FUN FOR EVERYBODY TO HAVE SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND IT'S OUT OF THE BOX. REPORTER: THANKS, MARA. ALLEY, WHAT DOES IT COST? >> FOR A SMALL PICNIC, YOU'RE LOOKING AT UP TO SIX GUESTS ABOUT $150. BUT IF YOU WANTED TO DO A LARGER PICNIC, UP TO TEN GUESTS, IT WILL BE 250. REPORTER: YOU PARTNER WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES FOR THE FOOD AND THINGS? >> YEAH, THAT'S BASICALLY OUR MISSION IS TO SUPPORT OTHER SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES IN THE AREA, THE BALTIMORE AREA. SO WE HAVE SMALL COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE US SHAR -- DESSERT PLATTERS AND FOOD. ANYTHING THAT THE CLIENT WANTS. REPORTER: THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
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Small Business Spotlight: Charm City Picnic
Charm City Picnic is a new small business in Baltimore that hosts socially distant picnics.

Charm City Picnic is a new small business in Baltimore that hosts socially distant picnics.

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