By Aaron Schulze

‘I’m literally living my dream’: The Spot expanding to Tisdale

Jan 16, 2019 | 9:00 AM

A seasonal dining operation which opened four years ago has evolved into a second permanent restaurant opening in Tisdale.

Karinne Seiferling started a seasonal restaurant at Pasquia Regional Park in Carrot River in 2015, after a trip to Australia helped her discover her ambition to attempt a move into the restaurant industry.

Seiferling always knew she’d love the restaurant industry, but never imagined it would escalate to this level.

“My chef Brandon and I decided we were ready for a bigger establishment and to do something year-round,” Seiferling told northeastNOW. “The opportunity came up where we could potentially operate out of the Evergreen Centre in Nipawin.”

After three consecutive summers in Carrot River, with 2017 being the last, Seiferling placed a proposal to lease the restaurant space in the Evergreen Centre. Seiferling ended up getting the contract, and with renovations beginning on Jan. 7, 2018, ‘The Spot’ was set to open.

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The Jan. 7 date holds a lot of meaning for Seiferling, as it’s the same day in 2019 that she purchased a building in Tisdale which made her jaw drop.

In a few months ‘The Spot’ might have to be known as ‘The Spots’, with the Tisdale location expected to open in April.

2018 was filled with a restaurant opening, full year of business, a few weeks off due to a faulty sprinkler, and a feature in Gordon Foods Services magazine, Seiferling said her father did ask if she was getting ahead of herself.

The answer: she’s not one to wait.

Although there’s one avenue ‘The Spot’ doesn’t seem to be heading for potential expansion, and that’s opening up shop in a bigger city.

“It’s got nothing to do with competition, it’s more or so less the people,” she said. “I’ve worked as a waitress and bartender in the city and it’s a completely different experience as an employee and an employer. Just having that small town feel and that personal connection with people when you serve them is – I would narrow down to the fact the appreciation that your customers give you when you provide them with a good dining experience.”

One of the challenges Seiferling liked about starting a restaurant in the small town was training people who were looking for work, not necessarily starting as cooks and servers, and watching them grow. Seiferling credited her staff’s abilities and loyalty for her to being able to expand in Tisdale.

While Seiferling continues to draw out a vision to see where ‘The Spot’ will end up, the goal in the meantime is to see how the new restaurant in Tisdale works out.

“It might be the start of – I don’t know – a little small-town chain,” she said. “We’ll take it one restaurant at a time and see if Jan. 7, 2020 has something exciting in store.”

“I’m literally living my dream, which is crazy.”

aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow