Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Lisa Ross acquired a two-storey 1915 residence some time ago. She knocked down a few walls inside and opened up Cooper's General Store. This was her way to declare allegiance to her hometown of Neudorf.
"Out here in rural Saskatchewan, we always hear about the struggles to keep our towns going in the face of rural depopulation, and about the rural economy going by the wayside. Well, you know, we are making it! That is a story worth telling too, isn't it?"
Neudorf may be a bit off the beaten track as far as the main tourism trails go, but there is plenty that keeps it going regardless, according to Ross.
"We are right on Highway 22 and we get many visitors stopping by. When tourists travel to Motherwell Homestead National Historic site, which is just 20 minutes away, often I notice in these travelers the urge to just keep exploring. This brings them to us. They are surprised to see that there is a town here with 320 residents who earn an honest living and who have access to quite a few resources.
"We run a full line of groceries with the meat counter and the frozen foods sections; we have a community hall; a curling and a skating rink; and a school with kindergarten to grade six."
Ross is so convinced of the sustainability of her town that she converted a one-car garage on the side of the store and opened up a restaurant that serves home-cooked meals to anyone who happens to come by. It's called the Chicken Coop Café.
"Maybe it takes a little bit of traveling to make one realize how good a life we have out here. I'm from Neudorf, but I left for six years to travel and I went to Europe-Amsterdam and Germany among other places-and I came back. My dad was still here. This is a great place to raise kids. There is a freedom out here that is simply priceless."
Ross believes that all it takes to succeed is just a little determination, hard work and good staff, which are readily available in Neudorf. You don't necessarily need a lot of money, she says.
"I have met people from all over the world in Neudorf. They stop because the place looks different. We painted the store light sky blue with bright red trim. There is an East Coast feeling to it. We built a patio in the cattle-corral style to give our guests a bit of privacy, and we keep decent hours: from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m."
Ross wants to share her belief that many towns across Saskatchewan have a lot more to offer than some would have us believe.
For more information, contact:
Lisa Ross
Cooper's General Store
Chicken Coop Cafe
Neudorf
(306) 748-2323
Lisa Ross acquired a two-storey 1915 residence some time ago. She knocked down a few walls inside and opened up Cooper's General Store. This was her way to declare allegiance to her hometown of Neudorf.
"Out here in rural Saskatchewan, we always hear about the struggles to keep our towns going in the face of rural depopulation, and about the rural economy going by the wayside. Well, you know, we are making it! That is a story worth telling too, isn't it?"
Neudorf may be a bit off the beaten track as far as the main tourism trails go, but there is plenty that keeps it going regardless, according to Ross.
"We are right on Highway 22 and we get many visitors stopping by. When tourists travel to Motherwell Homestead National Historic site, which is just 20 minutes away, often I notice in these travelers the urge to just keep exploring. This brings them to us. They are surprised to see that there is a town here with 320 residents who earn an honest living and who have access to quite a few resources.
"We run a full line of groceries with the meat counter and the frozen foods sections; we have a community hall; a curling and a skating rink; and a school with kindergarten to grade six."
Ross is so convinced of the sustainability of her town that she converted a one-car garage on the side of the store and opened up a restaurant that serves home-cooked meals to anyone who happens to come by. It's called the Chicken Coop Café.
"Maybe it takes a little bit of traveling to make one realize how good a life we have out here. I'm from Neudorf, but I left for six years to travel and I went to Europe-Amsterdam and Germany among other places-and I came back. My dad was still here. This is a great place to raise kids. There is a freedom out here that is simply priceless."
Ross believes that all it takes to succeed is just a little determination, hard work and good staff, which are readily available in Neudorf. You don't necessarily need a lot of money, she says.
"I have met people from all over the world in Neudorf. They stop because the place looks different. We painted the store light sky blue with bright red trim. There is an East Coast feeling to it. We built a patio in the cattle-corral style to give our guests a bit of privacy, and we keep decent hours: from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m."
Ross wants to share her belief that many towns across Saskatchewan have a lot more to offer than some would have us believe.
For more information, contact:
Lisa Ross
Cooper's General Store
Chicken Coop Cafe
Neudorf
(306) 748-2323
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