RURAL EXPERIENCES
TinHouse Designs & Coffee Co. sits in Russell and blends modern café culture with something more interpretive: part gathering place, part creative space, part retail envi- ronment. It is less of a quick roadside stop and more a destination built around atmosphere, conversation and curiosity. “When we started TinHouse Designs & Coffee Co. back in 2013, we wanted to combine both our worlds, Canadian-made products and a coffee shop/restaurant,” ex- plains Tyler Kilkenny, who co-owns the business with Todd Sawyer. “We wanted to be an experience when you walked in the door — a bit of city vibe in small-town Manitoba.”
It’s that balance of refinement and familiarity that makes the space feel distinctive without being preten- tious. Surrounded by artful displays and locally rooted design, guests can go from handcrafted drinks to thin crust pizza and salads built with herbs grown on-site. There are shelves filled exclusively with Canadian-made products, all in artful displays. The menu reflects the same intention, with ingredients and suppliers specifically chosen to support local and national makers wherever possible. The owners say many travellers ar- rive expecting an average small-town
coffee stop and leave surprised by something far more layered. “Over the years, we constantly hear travellers saying they didn’t ex- pect to find a gem like this in a small town — and that is exactly what we were going for.” That reaction appears to have extended far beyond Russell itself. “When you say where you’re from and the business you own, people will say ‘We stopped there’ and start telling us about their experience,” Sawyer ex- plains. “That’s when we knew we were more than just a random coffee shop in some small town.” In communities like Russell, spac- es like TinHouse matter differently since they become the connectors
54 | SUMMER 2026 | SAVOUR MANITOBA
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