Abby Besharah currently employs about eight people at Marker 47 Café. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

achievement

Marker 47 Café celebrates first anniversary

Dec 13, 2022 | 4:04 PM

In the one year since Abby Besharah opened Marker 47 Café in downtown La Ronge, she’s been able to establish a loyal group of customers.

“We get a lot of professionals who come in and I’m really surprised at how much of the community I have been able to meet who I haven’t seen before,” Besharah, who is also a town councillor, said.

“New people come in every day, which is really fantastic. I appreciate the word of mouth because I have done limited marketing. Thanks to the La Ronge community, the word is out about the café and people are looking for somewhere good to have a nice meal and a good coffee.”

In celebration of the one-year milestone, every customer who came into Marker 47 Café on Dec. 7 was given an almond shortbread ‘47’ cookie set or a mini cinnamon bun.

Since opening, Besharah has been able to expand her menu and she now offers a large variety of hot and cold drinks, baked goods, as well as soups and sandwiches. In particular, the café has earned a reputation for cinnamon buns, London Fog and unique offerings like the banh mi.

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“I’m still operating as a take-out business, but I do offer some seating for people who want to dig in here,” she said. “Because of the structure of soup and sandwiches, it’s just a community space for people to use as they wish. I’m really happy to see how much it does get used.”

In October, Besharah was honoured for her hard work at launching Marker 47 Café with an entrepreneurship award from the La Ronge and District Chamber of Commerce. She noted the moment was quite flattering, adding her staff and the community deserve credit for the award as well.

Abby Besharah wins the entrepreneurship award at the 2022 Tri-Community Awards Gala. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Artists are permitted to exhibit their work on the café’s walls. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Hot and cold drinks, soups and sandwiches, and baked goods are on the menu at Marker 47 Café. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

“I created the conditions for the café to exist, and the community that supports it and the team that works here are the ones who deserve all of the credit,” Besharah said.

Besharah also mentioned the business currently has about eight employees and that there’s a lot of capacity for it to continue to grow. She’d like to make the space available more for residents and rent it to groups for after-hours events.

Besharah would also like the café to become more of a hub for creativity, especially for local artists.

“The other part of it being a community space is being a bit of an artist’s space as well, a creative space for people. Brandon White and Annalisa Heppner are currently showcasing on my walls,” she said.

“It’s an opportunity for them to do a show and really get eyes on their artwork, and also for my customers to enjoy the absolute talent this community has in it. When their show is over, we will see who is next and go from there.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno