Mille Isles: Maple Grove Country Store

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A letter to the Editor (published in Le Régional February 2008)

Photo: Natalie Szabo with her mother who sometimes helped in the store, and Brant Harris in front of Maple Ridge Country Store.

The people of Mille Isles appreciate Natalie Szabo & Brant Harris efforts in keeping the Maple Grove country Store open for two whole years.  It took a lot of hard work, perseverance and investment.  Natalie virtually worked non stop seven days a week!   We have grown accustomed to having organically grown vegetables, coffee, environmentally friendly cleaning products, books and videos, newspapers, beer, soup and sandwich, a cup of coffee in a friendly meeting place, all served with a welcoming smile.  In addition to working in the store, Natalie worked on organizing social events in Mille Isles, including spaghetti dinners, corn roast and a talent contest.  She has also taken up the responsibility for the Mille Isles News Bulletin. 

Despite all the good work it became impossible to continue keeping the store open.  The doors of the Maple Ridge Country Store closed for the last time, on November 30^th, 2007. Natalie hardly had a chance to rest after closing the store.  On December 5^th, she and Brant were blessed with the happy arrival of their son Aiden Taylor Harris. 

Now Natalie has her hands full again.  She is still in contact with some of us as the Local Avon representative. 

We are grateful to Natalie and Brant for their dedication to Mille Isles.  We wish the young couple all the best with their young family!

A Country Store with a Heart

They used to say that when you pass Black Store (the old Maple Grove School), you have seen Mille Isles.  For a long time the building stood vacant.  Last October a miracle happened, the old school house was brought to life by Natalie Szabo and her fiancé Brant Harris.  The opening day was the day the town held a Halloween party.  Natalie and Brant were there offering free coffee.  Natalie arrived in Mille Isles from Montreal, only a year ago.  She decided that she does not wish to spend hours on the road commuting to an office job.  So she courageously plunged into a new career.  She even joined the town’s Recreation Committee.  Natalie now works in the store 7 days a week.  She sometimes walks from home to the store (an hour) to enjoy the country air.    She serves coffee, sandwiches, home-made soup, or Chile, cookies, and good conversation.  There is fresh bread, biological coffee beans, beer, wine and other essential groceries; useful art objects made by local artists, such as quilts, pens made of wood, leather pocket-knife holders, gift wrappings, cards, paintings, and cosmetic products.  Another section features used books, videos and DVDs for a nominal fee (partly reimbursed upon return.)  There is something new every day. 

The Maple Grove has become the meeting place of Mille Isles.  Mothers meet for a cup-a-coffee, while the kids attend kindergarten or classes, people who hold meeting at City Hall end up at Maple Grove for refreshments; others pop in Tuesdays and Fridays for fresh bread, or at other times for a case of beer.  There is a bulletin board with pictures taken during local events.  Natalie also publishes a bilingual e-mail newsletter with congratulatory notes for babies born and get-well wishes.  For the opening of the new snow-shoe-hiking trail, she catered a spaghetti dinner at the city hall, for which she brought her own family to help serve. For Easter she held a children’s colouring competition.  The paintings were displayed in the store and the winner got an Easter Chocolate prize.  God knows what Natalie will come up with next! 

Local people are absolutely charmed by Natalie who welcomes everybody with a warm smile.  In the summer, people will be able to enjoy a get together at picnic tables outside the store.  It will also be a lovely experience for travelers who roam the countryside.   

Colours and dimensions artwork may be slightly different from the original.