There’s an abandoned cafe in Minnesota, located within the tiny Arrowhead community of Isabella. A beloved local institution for almost 40 years, the cafe has been out of business since 2021 and up for sale even longer. As it waits for a new owner and little TLC, the harsh Northwoods environment isn’t doing the Stony River Sport Shop and Cafe any favors.

Stony River Sport Shop and Cafe is located in Isabella, Minnesota.
Jimmy Emerson DVM/Flickr
Home to around 40 people, the small, remote, unincorporated village of Isabella, is located along Minnesota Hwy. 1, between Ely and the North Shore of Lake Superior.
The outpost is surrounded by the Superior National Forest, dozens of lakes, and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Google Street View
The community has seen better days. A tough economy combined with a couple of devastating forest fires in 2012 and 2021 caused many businesses to close up shop and leave.
One business that managed to survive these tough times was the Stony River Sport Shop and Cafe.
Google Street View

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It was a gathering place for the community that offered delicious, home style meals.
Google Street View
Folks could also pick up last minute supplies for their fishing, hunting, or camping trips in the area.
Tex/Google Reviews
Stony River even offered guide services.
One quirk about Stony River Sport Shop and Cafe that folks seemed to love was its "wildlife display."
Kasja Anderson/Google Reviews
This consisted of all manner of taxidermied specimens from the area, like deer, beaver, otters, etc., scattered throughout the premises. It was truly something to behold!

What Stony River Sport Shop and Cafe could not weather was the deaths of its owners, Tom and Liz Pearson, who opened the business in 1983 and ran it for 38 years before passing away within months of each other in 2021. The business had been up for sale before the Pearsons’ passing, however, to date, it has not found a buyer. The last time I drove by, it looked like it could use a little TLC. Stony River Sport Shop and Cafe is currently available, along with a residence, and waiting for the right proprietor to come along and revive this once-beloved local business. Next time you take a road trip Up North, you should definitely give it a look!

Did you ever have a chance to visit Stony River Sport Shop and Cafe in Isabella? Let us know in the comments!

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2241 State Hwy 1, Isabella, MN 55607