Klemtu opens new store, café

Long a critical link for mariners transiting the Inside Passage along the North Coast of BC, Klemtu will soon open a new Community Band Store and Café, adding to its vital importance as a provisioning hotspot.

The Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation has invited mariners to attend the June 19 grand opening of the enlarged shopping facility — the most significant infrastructure development in the region since the construction of the Kitasoo Xai’xais Bighouse in 2002.

The new facility, 1/3 larger than the previous store, is designed to become a key pitstop for yacht crews, commercial fishers, and coastal explorers travelling through the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest.

The key focus of the development is the Klemtu Café. After years without a dedicated local establishment for hot meals, mariners can now enjoy fresh food and coffee on the building’s waterfront, which offers a panoramic view of the bustling Klemtu Passage with high-speed WiFi connectivity for crews.

“We are streamlining the mariner’s experience,” said Isaiah Robinson, CEO of the Kitasoo Xai’xais Development Corporation. “With our modern First Nations Fuel station and the new store just steps away, captains can now manage refueling, grocery provisioning, and crew dining in a single, efficient stop.”