Town & Country

2 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, SATURDAY JUNE 16, 2018 H N A U S A • Fresh Cut Meat • Produce • Groceries • General Houseware • Key Cutting • Liquor Vendor • Propane New & Exchange • Movie Sales • Hardware Riverton Co-op Food 204-378-2251 Hardware 204-378-2324 S E R V I N G A L L YO U R N E E D S TOPSOIL SAND - GRAVEL LANDSCAPING FILL - STONE DEMOLITION LAKESHORE REHABILITATION HOLDING TANKS & SEPTIC FIELD INSTALLATION ASPHALT PAVING OFFICE: 1ST AVE. WEST & HWY #9 WINNIPEG BEACH, MB R0C 3G0 PHONE: (204) 389-2023 FAX: (204) 389-4040 eddiesgravelsupply.com Box 160, Fisher Branch, MB R0C 0Z0 Attitudes Are Contagious ... Is Yours Worth Catching? Compliments of Kyle Yaciuk & the friendly staff UKRAINIAN FARMERS CO-OP Serving Your Community Proudly For 89 Years • Bulk Petroleum • Gas Station • Grocery Store • Hardware (204) 372-6202 Interlake Consumers Co-op Hardware Ph. 204-739-2634 Grocery Ph. 204-739-2116 24HR CARDLOCK Centre St. Gimli 204-642-8588 • Hydro Vac • Line Jetting • Daylighting • Portable Toilet Rentals • Septic and Holding Tank Pump Outs • Camera Inspection RANDY LEGER OWNER OPERATOR (204) 389-5333 btfarm@mymts.net Box 2011 Gimli, MB R0C 1B0 Gimli Septic Service D onna Austfjord designed a Ca- nadian-Icelandic flag a few years ago which unfurled into much more than a natty logo printed on merchan- dise she initially sold from home. "The flag is a symbol of our love for both countries: Canada is my home and my husband Brian's home; Iceland is our country of origin," says Donna, who has sold T-shirts, mugs, sweaters and many other items emblazoned with her design. The dual-country flag first became popular when Brian posted stickers at work bearing Donna's creation — a traditional sky-blue Icelandic flag with red and white crosses and a half maple leaf covering part of the crosses' hori- zontal axis. "People really liked the flag as well as the fact that it represents two different yet cooperative cultures," says Donna. Partly as a result of the flag's success, Donna and Brian became immersed in the history of the Icelandic people who moved from the 'Land of Fire and Ice' to the Hnausa area. As Donna delved into local history (she and Brian both grew up in Hnau- sa, located on Lake Winnipeg 10 ki- lometres south of Riverton), she made a decision to resurrect Stef Stefanson's General Store. Stefanson's had been a gathering place for over three decades. Locals caught up on the latest outside news, exchanged gossip and purchased items from groceries and hardware to gar- dening implements and musical in- struments. "When I unveiled my revival plan, my family looked at me like I had grown 10 heads," she laughs. But Donna persisted. After being on the road for years working in a family business, she had reached a point where she wanted to settle down to be close to her grandchildren and mother, who all live in Hnausa. Brian agreed to his wife's idea as long as they had "some fun" with the new venture. The old Stefanson store was too dilap- idated to consider renovating, so Donna and Brian applied to purchase property across the street, held in trust by Hnau- sa's New Hall Committee. Their bid was successful and they purchased the land with the proviso they either renovated the town's old hall, which still stood on the loca- tion, or tore it down and erected a new building instead. Donna and Brian had spent many years together working in their construc- tion business, so they knew what was worth saving and what was not. "Brian realized it would cost us more to renovate the old hall than to tear it down and build from scratch," says Donna, adding that a little piece of the hall was saved for washrooms. Last summer, the Hnausa General Store celebrated its official grand open- ing to much fanfare. Locals as well as former residents attended the gala, as did many curious tourists. What they saw was an old-style gen- eral store that "looked like it had been part of a Waltons episode," according to Donna. Indeed, antique Coke coolers, pic- tures of old-timers on the walls, a porch with an overhang supported by beams and an arched false front all contribute to the building's pioneer appearance. After only a year in business, the guest register includes signatures from throughout the world, including Eu- rope, Asia and many parts of North America. "The store's deck is a peaceful place for locals and tourists alike to chat over coffee or just zone out for a while," Don- na says. For his part, Brian gives tour-bus visi- tors a presentation about the first settlers to the area, noting where they were from in Iceland and what has happened to their Icelandic-Canadian offspring. "We have plans to expand a history centre in the back that contains books, manuscripts and online sources about Icelandic migrants in the Hnausa area, as well as Ukrainian and Polish settlers who moved here from Eastern Europe," says Donna. The store has a restaurant that of- fers a number of succulent dishes made from original Icelandic ammas' (grandmothers) recipes, including rul- lupylsa (rolled boneless lamb), slatur (blood pudding and liver sausage) and ponnokukur (crepes filled with fruit or jam), along with soft ice cream, burg- ers and other fare. There is also a selection of handcraft- ed merchandise by local artists — jew- elry, knitting and moccasins — along with mitts, toques and other goods with Donna's flag on them. "The store has far exceeded what I ex- pected it to be," she says. General Store builds on local tradition B Y D A V I D S Q U A R E Old World Values PHOTOS COURTESY OF HNAUSA GENERAL STORE The flag appears on several items sold at the store. cafeandwine.com | 204.233.7030 130 Provencher Blvd. | twitter: @cafeandwine "The flag is a symbol of our love for both countries: Canada is my home and my husband Brian's home; Iceland is our country of origin." - DONNA AUSTFJORD

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