A mixed-use pickleball cafe bounces into Arcadia Valley.
A loud thwack reverberates off a paddle and echoes into the Ozark hills towering above the court. The small ball, similar to a Wiffle ball, is hit effortlessly and flies around as players skid across the court to meet it. To the untrained eye, it seems like the competitors are playing a mixture of tennis and ping-pong, but in reality, they are playing pickleball—a trending paddle sport.
One place for the high-energy hijinks is Pickle & Perk in Arcadia Valley, located near Johnson’s Shut-Ins and Elephant Rocks State Parks. Pickle & Perk is a mixed-use business that includes a pickleball court, boutique, book nook, coffee shop, and three Airbnbs.
Stephanie and Dave Mayer opened Pickle & Perk in 2024 in Arcadia Valley where Stephanie grew up and where the couple is raising their two children, Sutton and Monroe.
“Main Street was just full of crumbling buildings, and it was just really sad,” says Stephanie, still in her light blue striped apron after a busy day working at the cafe. “We had the idea to bring new life into the area we care a lot about and decided to jump in full force.”
After Stephanie celebrated the new business idea by drinking a margarita with her mother and cofounder, Wallis Kay Summers, she asked the community for their thoughts.
“Initially, we went around and did a town survey to ask people what they wanted to see here, and almost everybody had the same answer, which was, ‘The town is very sleepy, and there is nothing to do and nothing for the youth.’ ”
Sitting in a corner booth next to Stephanie, Dave chimes in, “In these smaller towns, you need a lot of different plays or reasons for someone to come in.”
• Andrea Kaneko
As visitors approach the refreshingly modern, part-wood, part-black-brick building, they are met with a courtyard that beckons them inside, offering a wooden pavilion, lawn games, shaded patio seating, and zesty greenery. If visitors walk farther and cross the threshold of the coffee shop, they will be energized by the bold decor, including a bright pink old-school telephone that adorns the entryway to the book nook, and the aroma of coffee and tasty tidbits like pumpkin bread, French toast, and avocado toast. To the left of the coffee shop is the boutique with high ceilings that has trendy clothing and accessories, including pickleball-themed items. Above the coffee shop and boutique, there are three Airbnbs, all gracefully accented in modern decor. Behind this hybrid business is a quaint, private pickleball court, which visitors can reserve.
“We have customers come in to just visit with us. We don’t even look at them as customers anymore but friends,” Stephanie says. “It’s so rewarding, and I’m renewed in my faith in people.”
132 North Main Street, Ironton • PickleAndPerk.com
This article was originally printed in the October 2025 issue of Missouri Life.
