Crow’s General Store

Crow’s General Store has certainly made its mark in Brandon as a must-see tourist destination since Don Ditchfield opened up shop a few years ago.

“We get people from all over the world,” said Ditchfield, as he pointed to a sign-in book that had names from folks from all different parts of the globe. “They can’t believe it when they come here.”

Crow’s is considered a hidden gem in this city for a reason. Located at the east end, first-timers may turn to rolling down the car window and asking a passerby for directions, but when they arrive, they’re glad they made it.

“I just had a young fellow from India who was here,” Ditchfield said. “He always wanted to come to a place like this.”

The young child’s family moved to Brandon last fall, Ditchfield says. The child was looking on the internet on things to do in Brandon prior to moving here and found Crow’s.

“He was just blown away. It’s too bad, you just missed him.”

So … what makes Crow’s so special? Well, first off, there’s ice cream. That’s a sure-fire way to get some people to your establishment. But it’s so much more than just that. As soon as you make your way onto the grounds, you’re blown away by the scenery.

People will first notice the big Crow’s General Store building that has you thinking you’re about to head into an old timey bar and ask for a shot of whiskey. Inside the building is a ‘good old days’ atmosphere consisting of an ice cream parlour that’s adorned with classic furniture and neat antiques.

After your ice cream treat, make sure you have time on your hands because you’re going to want to spend time exploring the grounds. The area has everything from vintage tractors to old gas pumps – and everything has a story, Ditchfield says.

“This one hit something,” he says, as he points to a bent spoke in one of the various neat looking old wagon wheels.

Not only that, there’s also a nature trail that leads you through the Assiniboine Food Forest, considered one of Canada’s largest habitat regeneration and conservation projects. The scenic path is filled with signage that helps educate you about the area.

“There’s lots of points of interest,” Ditchfield added. “People still don’t know it’s here in Brandon.”

The next time you’re in Brandon, make sure you stop by Crow’s General Store!