July 23, 2015. Western Head, N.S. River Bank General Store.

The River Bank General Store is the official name.  I have called them all sorts of wrong names but I now have it straight, although once a name gets into my brain the wrong way sometime it never gets back to becoming correct.   The name has been The River's Edge Cafe in my mind but I was wrong.  It is  River Bank General Store and their address is 8 Medway River Road, Mill Village, N.S.

They got into the catering business accidentally.  Penny Lane is a day care center for challenged adults and young people.   Housed in Milton, the staff teach the clients different tasks depending on their abilities.   They shred paper and repair furniture and make crafts for sale.  Four years ago,  the old General Store in Mill Village came for sale and the Penny Lane folks bought it and restored it.  The clients helped with the restoration and now 6 to 8 work each day in the store and the cafe.   The Penny Lane people thought it would work well as a project to teach skills and develop self reliance in their clients.  The clients love working there.

First they ran the grocery store.  Next  a Sunday Brunch was added once a month, then every Sunday.  Finally, they opened for lunch every day.  And a few months ago they began catering.  Today, the food editor of the Halifax paper reviewed the restaurant and complained about the length of time it took to get his food.   It does not seem fair to compare a Halifax restaurant with a cafe is Mill Village that is primarily a social service project.   All of us at Western Head have been delighted with the food from River Bank General Store.  And the customers are pleased too.  The restaurant section is always full.  Hats off to the staff of River Bank General Store.  Phooey to the food editor of that Halifax paper.