Friends, Employees of Forest River Cafe Owner Celebrate 30 Years in Business

• Cafe Owner Elaine McDonald Gets a Hug

Cafe Owner Elaine McDonald Gets a Hug

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FOREST RIVER, ND (WDAZ-TV) - At a time when many small towns stuggle to keep businesses going, a Forest River woman is celebrating 30 years of running the town's only cafe.

"That's all I do. Everything is homemade. I do homemade bread, buns," Forest River Cafe owner Elaine McDonald said.

McDonald takes pride in the food she serves here five days a week year-round. And the people of Forest River, a town of just 125 people, take pride in keeping a cafe open.

"It would be a very small town with a bar and one church, because I think we are going to lose our post office," Brent Nelson said.

It was three decades ago that Elaine and her mother took over the restaurant. At that time, it was only open during the summer months.

"Started on a real shoe-string budget, too. My mother had 500 dollars and that is what we started with," McDonald said.

On Wednesday, employees and friends celebrated McDonald's thirtieth year of serving up breakfast and lunch by what else, serving up a free meal for everyone.

"The food is great, the camaraderie, the people that come in here. It's just a great place to visit and catch up on the news," Nelson said.

"Soup and salad is always free with the meals, homemade bread. She gives them extra food if they want it free," Dorothy Moreland said.

McDonald caters to more than just her walk-in customers. She helps feed the elderly in the community by providing meals to a senior nutrition program.

"Like this one is for Erva Carol. Because she isn't able to come up, we can get it taken out for her," McDonald said.

McDonald has no plans on closing her kitchen anytime soon and says she is excited to start her next 30 years.

"I'm going to stay here as long as I can. As long as they need me I will stay here," McDonald said.

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