SERVING UP MEMORIES OF SWEET SUMMERS
Bus Stop Refreshments has been a fixture in downtown Saskatoon since 1989, when the red double-decker bus opened its windows and began serving old-fashioned ice cream and “riverbank franks.” Reporter Bre McAdam shares five things you may not have known ab
1. When the wheels did go “round and round”
After coming over from London with two other identical buses in 1956, the 1948 Bristol is now the only surviving bus of its kind in Canada, owner Laurel Beaumont’s been told.
It was a special “low-bridge bus” meant to service the rural routes of London; however, it did run in London proper for a few years because of a bus shortage after the war.
The double-decker eventually made its way to the Prairies and was used in a restaurant before Beaumont snatched it up.
2. Not your typical food truck
When Beaumont saw the bus for sale in the Regina Auto Trader, she knew it was a sign. The thought of turning a bus into a takeout restaurant had already crossed her mind while on vacation, so she scraped together the cash, drove the bus to her parents’ farm and renovated it over the summer. Beaumont did a few exhibitions, serving fish and chips, but decided to secure a permanent location at the corner of Spadina Avenue and 21st Street.
“I think it’s better to be where everyone knows where you are. When you’re moving all the time it’s difficult to get that customer base.”
3. Nostalgia food
Why ice cream and hotdogs? It’s the kind of food that brings back childhood memories, Beaumont replies.
“So you can’t help but flash back to when you take that bite of Tiger Tiger or that first lick off that Bubblegum cone that you used to love when you were little.”
Other than swapping out a few flavours over the years, Beaumont’s menu has remained untouched.
“People always know that their favourite thing is still going to be here.”
4. Star power
It could be why locals recommend the red bus to celebrities when they visit Saskatoon. Over the years, Beaumont has seen everyone from Jann Arden (and her dog) to Carrie Fisher (who she didn’t recognize at first).
She tenderly recalls shaking hands with Leonard Cohen when the beloved musician stopped by for a cup of coffee. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield recently came to the bus for a hotdog — and stayed for a selfie.
5. A legacy locale
Star sightings are great, but it’s the generations of families that get Beaumont excited, like when staff members bring their kids for ice cream. She loves watching her young customers grow up: one summer there’s little fingers at the window, the next a top of a head.
After a busy day, Beaumont likes to remind her staff that they’ve made a ton of memories.
“To serve ice-cream all summer, it’s just the best job in the world.”