How Crystal Came Together to Bring Back Its Community Hub
The Challenge: A Small Town Without Its Gathering Place
In Crystal, North Dakota (population 111), the local c-store was more than just a place to grab gas or groceries. Roadside 66 served as the community’s heartbeat, offering warm meals, familiar faces, and over 10,000 visits in 2023.
When the store closed in December 2023, it left more than an empty building. It left a void in daily life and a silence where connection used to thrive. For a small town, losing its only convenience store meant more than inconvenience. It meant losing a piece of home.
A Community-Fueled Comeback
Rather than let the doors stay shut, residents of Crystal got to work. Through grassroots determination, they raised over $100,000—an extraordinary feat for such a small town. Still short of the funds needed to purchase the store, the Crystal Community Booster Club, with support from the Pembina County Job Development Authority (JDA), applied for assistance through the Rural Food Sustainability Grant (Component Two).
Thanks to this public-private partnership, the Booster Club secured the remaining funds. In May 2024, a new chapter began. The store reopened under the name The Chuck Stop, once again providing hot meals, groceries, fuel, and most importantly, a place to gather.
“The Rural Sustainability Grant made it possible for our community boosters to purchase the building and property, which opened the door for me and my husband to start the Chuck Stop,” said Charlotte Saiger, co-owner of the store. “In a small town like ours, having a local store is about more than gas or groceries—it’s about connection. Whether someone needs a gallon of milk or just a warm cup of coffee and a little conversation, the Chuck Stop is here for them.
This store wouldn’t exist without the support of our community, my amazing family who help run it every day, and the funding that made it all possible. On top of owning The Chuck Stop, my husband farms and I also work as the Director of Nursing at a rural basic care facility—and we do this because we believe rural North Dakota deserves strong, sustainable businesses that keep our small towns alive.”
The Power of Partnership
This community comeback was made possible by local leadership and state support. The team at North Dakota Commerce, including program administrator Anya Hondel, worked closely with Angelle French of the Pembina County JDA and Larry McCollum of the Crystal Community Booster Club to ensure the project’s success.
“In small towns like Crystal, places like this store are the center of community life,” said Angelle French, Director of the Pembina County JDA. “This project shows what can happen when neighbors step up, local organizations work together, and there’s support at every level to make it happen. It’s a real reflection of what rural resilience looks like.”
A Revival Rooted in Resilience
The Chuck Stop is once again buzzing with conversation, coffee, and community spirit. Its reopening is more than a business win. It’s a story of small-town resilience, resourcefulness, and pride.
This project proves that even in a town of 111, big dreams still bloom. And when neighbors work together, there’s nothing small about what they can achieve.