The Nisga’a Village of Gitwinksihlkw has exciting plans for the establishment of a café and gift shop in the community in the near future. 

The village government made application to the Nisga’a Business Development Fund to support their capital business plan to construct a 1200 square foot modular building that will house the operation.

Nisga’a Village of Gitwinksihlkw Chief Executive Officer Harry Nyce, Jr., was on hand June 25 to receive a cheque from NLG Economic Development Manager Bert Mercer in the sum of $218,000 to support the initiative.

The building will be owned and leased by the Nisga’a Village of Gitwinksihlkw and the operation of the business will be by Gitwinksihlkw local entrepreneur Sally Nyce who currently operates a home-based business.  The entrepreneur was selected following an Expression of Interest to the community. 

An excerpt from the Village’s business plan describes the planned operation:

“The Welcome House Café and Gifts will be a moderately priced 20 seat café offering a small menu of indigenous inspired foods.  Specialty soups and sandwiches with weekly specials that meet the needs of the local communities.  The Gift component will sell local crafts and jams, Lizard Wear (the lizard is infamous to the community and is featured on a line of leisure to be sold in the store) and art from local carvers and artisans.”

Construction plans and grand opening are expected for later this year.