The Greater Minden Chamber held a ribbon cutting to celebrate the new owners of Country Market & Deli, Rock Basham and Harsha Yanka, and welcome them into the local business community.
“The store is going to be really successful in the future,” said Basham. “We’re making a lot of improvements, we just need y’all’s support to move forward and make this successful.”
On top of chamber board members, many other business owners, supportive customers, and the mayor of Sibley attended the event to give them a warm welcome to the city.
“I just want to welcome both of you to the town of Sibley. It’s a pleasure having you here. We appreciate your business. We’d love to see this store back like it used to be years ago. I know that’s your goal, and we’re going to help you get there,” said Sibley Mayor Robert Smart.
Co-owner Yanka also shared some words about the help they received from locals when they moved to town, as well as the store’s philanthropic endeavors. The market hosts raffles and giveaways in order to raise money for local schools and organizations, even sponsoring Lakeside’s FBLA team to go to a competition in Baton Rouge.
“I was new to this town, and everybody here helped me to learn about it. I’ll do my best to get this store up and running and be a good place for the people around here to have a place to go,” said Yanka.
“We’re not just people that come to town to do business, we want to give back to the community. We have already collaborated with Lakeside and other places that needed help.”
With strong community support and a vision for growth, Basham and Yanka are dedicated to making Country Market & Deli a thriving hub for locals. Their commitment to both business success and community involvement reflects the spirit of Sibley, promising a bright future for the store and the people it serves.