ENJOY YOUR BEACH DAY WITH A SNACK FROM JT’S
Concession stand at Blackstrap Lake offers tasty treats to beat the heat
Things are getting a lot tastier down at the main beach on Blackstrap Provincial Park.
It all started when Joshua Turner, the man behind last year’s Dickie Dee revival in Saskatoon, was offered the opportunity to head out to the beach for a family weekend event to sell ice cream. It wasn’t long until the park asked if he would be interested in setting up a permanent concession.
Now, JT’S Tasty Treats Beach Cafe is offering a lot more than ice cream.
“We pretty much have everything that you could have at a concession now,” Turner said. “We’ve got slushies, great ice cream treats, french fries, chicken fingers, deepfried perogies, hotdogs, tacos in a bag — and we are always adding to the menu and always trying to do something different every week.”
If you’re not sure what to try first, Turner says the Tiki Fries — their spin on poutine, made with crinkle-cut fries, nacho cheese sauce, sour cream and topped with a generous sprinkling of chives — are always a big hit.
“I think it’s just a given that you have to have crinkle fries when you’re out at the lake,” Turner said, laughing.
When you hit the beach, it’s hard to miss the concession stand, housed inside a repurposed, bright orange shipping container, which Turner said was an ideal option as it kept his startup costs low and is much more secure than a traditional concession stand.
Turner’s plans for the concession keep getting bigger. Already boasting a Jamaican beach vibe, complete with beach chairs, a patio for hanging out and grass hut-style umbrellas to keep things shady, next year Turner says he plans to add a fully licensed rooftop deck.
The Beach Cafe opened near the end of last summer, so this year marks its first full season as a permanent fixture and Turner is excited to be a small part of the park’s recent upgrades. Growing up, Turner’s family would regularly head out to Blackstrap in the summer, so having a chance to open his own concession, and seeing so much positive feedback from the regular visitors from nearby communities, has been rewarding.
“It’s honestly the best job ever,” he said. “I get to go out to the lake, it’s a beautiful spot ... a hidden gem.
“I remember when we were younger we would go out there boating and we would always halfway through the day go in for a snack. We would pull up on the beach, jump off the boat and just fill our faces with hamburgers and french fries.”
Turner said having the concession also makes life a lot easier for camping families who previously would have been forced to pack a cooler or head back to their campsites just to grab a quick bite to eat while out enjoying the beach.
Not only is he is happy to see how much people are loving the food and the Beach Cafe’s whole vibe, he also says the best part is seeing everyone out at the lake having a great time.
“(Opening the concession) was never planned, but when it fell into place everything just felt right — the branding, the support, how much I love being out there,” Turner said.
“I just really want people to be able to get out there and experience Blackstrap.”
JT’S TASTY TREATS BEACH CAFE
Owner: Joshua Turner
Address: Blackstrap Beach
Hours: Friday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. from May long weekend until the end of September.
Phone: 306-241-8931
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