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A new eatery is set to open in Sanders County promising a family-oriented atmosphere with made from scratch cooking. Machelle Brossman plains to open The River Roadhouse this summer. The restaurant will be located along Highway 200 between Thompson Falls and Trout Creek, near the turnoff for Finlay Flats Road. "My hope is to be open by Memorial Day weekend, with a grand opening in June. So stay turned for that," Brossman said. The owner has big plans for the old fuel station which has sat empty for more than six years. Utilizing repurposed barnwood and tables from her favorite childhood cafe, she wants to create a familiar and comforting environment when patrons come to visit. "It's like a big story," Brossman said.

"I have a background in homemade and made from scratch food. Homemade salsa, tacos, chicken fried steak," Brossman said. "I make my food the same way I would make it for my family." Brossman says she has a lot of requests for her nachos. "It's all about the layers," she stated. Her attention to detail is uncanny, all the way down to the sauces for her dishes. Brossman says she wants to offer something people won't taste anywhere else. The River Roadhouse will offer an array of items for lunch and dinner including beer and wine, and the owner plans to team up with a local bakery to offer baked goods at the restaurant. Along with the restaurant, Brossman will be operating two food trucks. One outside The River Roadhouse which will serve early morning breakfast items, the second food truck will be located next to Napa Auto Parts in Thompson Falls and will open in April. A drive-thru coffee stand will be added to the property in 2021 as well.

Brossman will have space inside for a small convenience store and she plans to stock the shelves with what residents need most. "I plan to ask the local folks here what items they drive into town the most for," Brossman said. "I'm here to serve the locals first and foremost." She also hopes to gain the attention of campers staying at Finlay campground with a recreational vehicle dump site, kayak rentals and a newly built stage to host live music and events. "It will be a good place to eat, bring your family and have a good time," Brossman says. "I want to be a family-oriented business and in order to do that and have a safe environment, I needed to address the fuel pumps first," she stated. A big hurdle for the business owner to get over, as Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) says the fuel pumps are a concern.

Lending support to this endeavor is Sanders County Community Development Corporation (SCCDC) Executive Director Ray Brown. "This is a place that everyone knows," Brown said of the location. "What she's ultimately doing here is economic development by providing jobs and a needed service." With assistance from Mission West Community Development Partners, Brown has been able to help Brossman with trying to secure financial assistance through DEQ's Brownfields Program. A branch of the program is directed to overseeing cleanup of petroleum releases, DEQ says. The program provides both technical and financial expertise on the assessment and cleanup of properties. Funding is provided for financial assistance for eligible corrective action cleanup costs.

The old fuel pumps, Brown says, would be a significant barrier to business growth, and removal is necessary going forward. "This will take a big part of the expense away," Brown said of the funding he helped Brossman apply for. Support from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is crucial for funding approval by the Brownfields Program. "The EPA likes to deal with projects that have strong community support," Brown stated. According to Brown, EPA contacted him and, "they told me they want to see this happen and they want me to support it. There's not a lot of these projects happening in rural communities. We are very excited about this." Should Brossman receive program funding, it would be a first for Sanders County, opening the door for possible project funding for other area businesses.

The support Brossman has received from SCCDC has made the experience of working with DEQ less daunting. "It's given an extra gust of wind to my sail," she said. Brown says the only reason why a project of this magnitude can be done in a rural community directly correlates to Brossman's perseverance. "You have to have passion and you have to be collaborative. You have to show you've put in the effort and you've done the work to show you have the support of the community," Brown stated. "That's how we are able to find funding for people." Brossman added, "The ultimate goal here is to create jobs and help the community, not just provide a service."

Miriah Kardelis

BIG PLANS - Brossman plans to build a stage outside to host live music and events for residents.

Brossman says she has the goal to bring people into town who normally wouldn't stop along the stretch of highway in front of her business. She has traveled the highway many times before deciding on the location of her restaurant. The property received the River Roadhouse name because of its access to Clark Fork River. "Roadhouse by definition is a building in a rural setting outside the city limits," Brossman said. "A place that provides all the services we want like groceries, food, drinks, the RV dump and the entertainment venue." Brossman has also purchased a second property in Whitepine on which she plans to build rental cabins in the future. "I've never felt more support than I have in this community," Brossman expressed.

The opening date is tentative on removal of the fuel tanks, where a concrete pad will be placed for a coffee stand and possible outdoor seating. Brossman says people can expect a grand opening full of good food, live music and door prizes.