A downtown landmark built on inclusion, community and opportunity is set to close its doors this fall.
Community Living Interlake (CLI) announced this week that it will shut down its social enterprises — Something Beautiful gift shop and café — after 10 years of operation, citing a strategic shift to focus resources on its core mission of supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities.
“We’ve decided it’s time to focus our resources so we can invest more directly in the programs that matter most to the people we serve,” said CLI board chair Lisa Highmoor. “This change creates an opportunity to strengthen our services and develop new, cost-effective ways to provide workplace training and continue to build an inclusive community here.”
CLI purchased the former Home Hardware building on Main Street in 2014 and opened Something Beautiful the following year as a social enterprise designed to provide meaningful job training and work experience. The café component opened in 2018, followed by an outdoor patio, expanding the organization’s efforts to create inclusive employment and a welcoming space in the heart of Stonewall.
Social enterprises are non-profit businesses that pursue a dual purpose — generating revenue while fulfilling a social mandate — and for nearly a decade, Something Beautiful did just that. People supported by CLI worked in the shop and café, gaining skills in customer service, food preparation, cleaning and retail operations, while connecting with the public and building confidence.
“After CLI operating the store and café for 10 and seven years respectively, it might be time for an entrepreneur out there to step up,” Highmoor said. “Maybe there is someone looking for an opportunity — someone who has always dreamed about having their own store or café — and would like to continue the good things it brings to downtown Stonewall.”
The decision to close is part of a broader plan as CLI marks its 60th anniversary in 2025 — a milestone the organization says is as much about reflecting on its past as it is about planning for the future. Founded in 1965 by concerned parents and a local service club, CLI has since grown to provide housing, day programs and employment training for people with intellectual disabilities. Today, it supports 17 residents in five homes, operates several apartments and day programs serving 32 participants, and employs 63 staff.
“This change may be hard, and we understand that,” Highmoor said. “But this is also our 60th anniversary, and we know this is about long-term sustainability and about being here for another 60 years with many more great projects, ideas and services.”
Executive director Tracy Fidler emphasized that while the closure signals the end of a chapter, CLI’s mission remains unchanged — and the organization is actively exploring new ways to provide workplace training and inclusion.
“Our commitment to the community and those we serve remains strong,” Fidler said. “We are working on new and better ways to provide workplace training, and with understanding for those affected, we will ensure a smooth transition to other opportunities.”
CLI says only a small number of jobs will be affected, primarily summer student positions that end as students return to post-secondary studies. Staff are being offered support and opportunities for redeployment within the organization where possible.
The building, which CLI owns and uses for its administrative offices, will remain in use, and the organization is open to offers from entrepreneurs interested in renting the retail and café space or purchasing equipment.
Community Living Interlake stresses that the closure is not a sign of financial trouble but rather a proactive decision to ensure the organization remains stable and responsive for decades to come.
“This is not a decision we made lightly,” Highmoor said. “It’s an opportunity to build a stronger future for our community. Our goal is to do more with the resources we have, to focus on what we do best, and to keep building a fully inclusive community for the next 60 years.”
