Only ice cream shop thrives on Old Massett reserve

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Even during nights when the hardiest of mainlanders would have stayed indoors, there continues to be a stream of customers flowing into the ice cream shop in Old Massett.

"We don't stop for nothing around here and the wind isn't (even) blowing sideways yet," the owner of Sweet Treats, Brandie Hill, said. "Even if it's like this, it's usually busy."

Even if it is raining, gray and maybe 10 degrees Celsius, Hill has a loyal clientele come for her desserts. Perhaps because the store is the only one on the north end of Haida Gwaii specializing in ice cream. She's been in business almost a year.

Upon stepping into the cozy 20-square metre add-on to her home, with seating for six, guests can almost be overwhelmed by the massive menu board listing more than 60 flavours.

What's also striking are reasonable prices, considering the expense of shipping products to the islands. No item is more than five dollars, with many treats priced under a toonie.

"I'll offer items for a dollar so that anybody can come in and order something," Hill said, referring to many of her customers who are children. "There are even two (pieces of candy) for five cents."

After serving homemade bread and popsicles for several years, two items that continue to be staples at Sweet Treats, Hill branched out into the full-time operation when she realized her position at the local hospital was coming to an end. Knowing that her strength is dealing with people, the transition from working in a cubicle to being on her feet behind the counter was natural. Hill possesses a continuous and infectious smile.

"I needed something for myself because I missed working with people and I had to call something my own."

Dishing out desserts and meeting a lot of happy faces provides a lot of job satisfaction, but Hill had trouble convincing money-lending institutions that her business was viable. Denied assistance from the local credit union, in part because of the store's location, the business finally obtained a $27,000 loan from Community Futures to complete the renovations and buy six pieces of equipment, including a syrup mixer and confection oven.

Besides the local people, Hill has started to notice tourists in their campers pulling up to her door, directed by the numerous signs, and she also hopes Sweet Treats increases its traffic of non-Native residents.

Sweet Treats offers the latest hours of any family-based establishment on either Hill's reserve or the nearby village of Massett.

"People don't have any place to go at night and they've got to go somewhere after hours," said Hill, who said one of her busiest periods is between 9 and 10 p.m.