Ninety years after it opened as a cafe, the Scandinavian Home Society restaurant on Algoma Street in Thunder Bay is moving in a new direction.
The society's volunteer board has decided to step away from the restaurant business to concentrate on promoting Scandinavian culture and heritage in other ways.
Board spokesman David Heroux says the restaurant will remain open under a lease agreement with Shelley Simon, who also manages the Silver Mountain Station restaurant in Nolalu.
Heroux told tbnewswatch.com the decision was long in the making, but that the not-for-profit board decided it could not continue focusing on the restaurant.
"We're finding as the membership ages, it's not quite the level of expertise that you need to effectively run a restaurant," he said.
The agreement with Simon stipulates the restaurant will continue to promote its Scandinavian heritage.
"As long as they maintain the cultural sensitivities and foods that our members have enjoyed over the many years ... That was the mandate that we have with the lessee," Heroux said.
He added Simon "has expressed a real interest in maintaining the Scandinavian culture," and has already researched it, leaving the board and the general membership both feeling comfortable with the decision.
That doesn't preclude changes in the restaurant's operation, however. Heroux said he expects Simon will not only maintain the traditional menu items but will enhance it with food items the board may not have considered in the past.
He said that she will also consider expanded hours and explore the addition of craft beer and wine to the menu.
The Scandinavian Home Society dates back to 1923 when it was established as a support group for immigrants.
Heroux said members are looking forward to the future.
"We were spending far too much time managing a restaurant. So the idea of cultural exchanges...being able to promote Scandinavian culture, was being put on the back burner...Hopefully we'll be able to do the things that the board was initially empowered to do."
