This week for the MacGregor Homegrown Business highlight, we reached out to a MacGregor Institution (which I am not just saying because they are across the street from me!). Whether you are looking for tasty baked goods, burgers, pizza, ice cream, a great Bed and Breakfast or simply coffee and good conversation, Hampton Cafe has you covered.

So we sat down with Rose Dondo, the owner of Hampton Cafe, to find out more about its history, as well as what they need during this time following the lockdown. I hope you enjoy!

Tell me what Hampton Cafe all does specifically.

Besides offering a family-style eat-in restaurant with homemade bread, burgers, pizza, and soups, we also offer great soft-serve ice cream and other ice cream treats during the summer months.  We do catering for events up to 140 people, themed dinner parties (make sure to ask about those!), baking for large events, and birthday cakes of all kinds!  We also have a great Bed & Breakfast upstairs from the cafe, with 3 bedrooms, 2 shared baths, a living room and a kitchen. 

Tell me the story of how Hampton Cafe came into being. When? Why?

We began by purchasing the building we are in now, without even knowing what avenue we were going to go! It was when MacGregor lost their coffee shop due to a fire that we knew what was needed. So we went and talked to the owners of the shop that burned down and they didn't want to rebuild and were happy that someone else could take up their mantle.  That was eight years ago now, and after a few months of reno work, we opened in April of 2013.  The Bed & Breakfast opened two years later.

How has running the Cafe gone over the years?

There have been ups and downs. We have run into a lot of roadblocks over the years that have taken many different forms but we have learned that if you think about it enough, find out enough info, and have enough friends in the community, there is always a way to overcome.

Why was Hampton Cafe started in MacGregor? What do you think MacGregor has to offer that other places don't? What does your organization give back to MacGregor beyond your services?

Why MacGregor? There is no place better! When I moved here almost 20 years ago I was a single mom, and the town supported me in many ways.  In some ways, I try to run Hampton Cafe as a thank you for that. 

MacGregor has a lot to offer if you stop and take a look around. When I arrived here as a single mom with limited finances at the time, I found that I rarely truly needed to leave town to get what I needed.  You could get a meal, buy a gift for a birthday party, get groceries, flowers, do repair work to the house or yard or vehicle, see an accountant, a lawyer or a doctor, go to church, attend school events and sports events.  Today we have even more available to us- small home businesses as well as other services.

So, as a business, we try to support as much as we are able. We support many local events, sports groups, the CRC, senior support and we have even recently expanded our support to include Ronald MacDonald house and Portage Cancer Care with our December coffee break program. Hampton Cafe also has a member on both the Macgregor Chamber and Macgregor Fair committees.

How has COVID-19 impacted the Cafe?

The obvious thing is that it has left our dining room empty and because of that, unfortunately, we have had to lay many of our best staff off. We are all close, so that was a serious blow. But COVID has also brought about some good as well.  It has allowed us to stop and reevaluate where we want to be, what we were good at and also ask, ‘what needs improving.’  COVID has forced us to again think outside the box as to how we can continue to care for our customers.  We are very grateful to all those who have continued to support us during this time, as well as to all those who have considered us for the first time - we hope to see all of you again soon!

Any additional details that would encourage people to help Hampton Cafe now?

Please don't apologize if you haven't' been in for a while - trust me, we get it.  Feel free to ask how it is going. Like, share and comment on our Facebook and Instagram posts and visit our web page [links below]. Please take a minute to leave us a review on Google and Tripadvisor to get our name out there.

Also, if you have a crazy idea and need food to go along with your plans, let us see if we can help you   As we look to reopen to some degree over the next while, please be patient with us as we try to comprehend all the new systems we have to put in place. 

We hope we will be able to see you all again soon!

Looking for some great food for you and your family this week? Why not give Hampton Cafe a try? You can find all the info you will need to place an order below.

62 Hampton St E, MacGregor, MB, Canada

Open Monday to Friday 9 AM - 7 PM

Saturdays 11 AM - 7 PM

1 (204) 685 3199