History

Excerpts from the Lac Du Bonnet Experience Magazine

Published March 2006 written by Michael Forest

Young entrepreneur finds success with old Dairy Bar.

He liked it so much, he bought the company. In years past, the Weiss family traveled from their home in North Kildonan to Poplar Bay and Camp Hideaway. On the way, they made it a habit of stopping in at the Dairy Bar in Lac Du Bonnet for some ice cream.

When the Dairy Bar closed, young Glenn Weiss Jr. saw an opportunity to make a going business concern of it for himself. Today, he owns the Dairy Bar which is now known as Christy's Family Restaurant, Dairy Bar and Arcade, named after his sister Christy.

At only 21 years of age Glenn Weiss Jr. might well be the youngest entrepreneur in the entire Eastman region. After taking the Young Entrepreneurs course given by the provincial government and invested a considerable amount of money in renovations and redecorating the place, the restaurant has become an unequivocal hit with the locals as well as travelers to the region.

The concept has largely changed from what it had previously been as a dairy bar, which was 80 per cent ice cream and 20 per cent food sales. Today, the ice cream menu remains, including a few unorthodox and original additions by Glenn, but the food menu has been enlarged, and has now attained a percentage of sales equivalent to that of the ice cream side.

He has added a full line of unique, home style burgers, including one called the "Stacker," which is your hearty burger with all the fixings and a heap of roast beef or ham on top. His Mexi-fries (chili, salsa, poutine cheese, & sweet peppers) have won the acclaim of his clientele, as have his fresh potato wedges.

As for the ice cream side, the most notable, and certainly extravagant, addition is a New Orleans concoction that Glenn found on the Internet. Called the Monkey-in-the-middle, it's not designed to be enjoyed by the faint of heart. The Monkey is a parfait cup of hard ice cream topped with chocolate syrup, fresh banana, cookies & cream from the blizzard section, all topped with soft ice cream, whipped cream with a cherry on top. He even has something for Man's Best Friend, which is a canine size portion of soft ice cream in smaller cups and cones.

So Far the secret to his success has been "High quality food, fair prices and outstanding service," according to Weiss. "It may sound simple, but if you are willing to make the smallest effort, I found out real quick that you will be rewarded many times over."

Extra steps in this case means offering a full menu until 11:00PM, as well as keeping the restaurant open very late on weekend nights to accommodate the crowds exiting the socials who are looking to find a bite to eat at 2 a.m. It also means offering everyday value meals that make up 30 per cent of his menu. And it means hanging out with his nightly group of coffee and cigarette aficionados for whom he makes two pots of coffee at a time so they can congregate for some friendly conversation outside at the restaurant's picnic tables.

He even has set aside a space for the younger crowd by having a section dedicated to arcade games, as there are two schools nearby. "At first it was thought that this would be a nuisance for the other patrons, but it has not been so: it is a much safer environment for the children to be in, and one often finds an adult or two trying their skills at the games."

Fore anybody who has ever lived in a small town, this is a tale that will sound all to familiar. Communities like Lac Du Bonnet need social gathering places like these, and will be quick to support the business entrepreneur who clearly has sought to make a difference. "The support from the community has been great," says Glenn. "I really am fortunate to have this opportunity, even though people are still shocked to find out that I am the owner"

Weiss, who after all is still only 21 years of age.

"A young man working hard, creating a great result, providing leadership, a positive role model for his community."