3 Sisters converts to Coffee Corner

Coffee Corner owner April Ritchey hopes to not only caffeinate but sweeten the streets of Malta.

Ritchey, the daughter of John and Gloria Hasler, has purchased the business formerly known as Darla's 3 Sisters on the corner of South 1st St. E and South 1st Ave. East.

Ritchey hosted a pre-opening on Friday, October 13, in which the community said goodbye to Darla Niebur, former owner of 3 Sisters and welcomed Ritchey.

"We had a lot of supporters come out that day," Ritchey said. "It was good and I was very happy with it."

Ritchey changed the already reputable name from 3 Sisters to Coffee Corner.

"I wanted to put my own tweak on things," Ritchey said. "I wanted to start fresh."

Ritchey moved to Malta roughly 11-years-ago looking for a fresh start, having lived in Havre through her childhood years. She only knew of Malta mostly from her father's experience.

"My dad was from here and went to school here," she said. "I moved here in 2006 for a fresh start."

She worked in the dispatch department of the Phillips County Sheriff's Office since moving to Malta, until she purchased the store a few weeks ago.

"I have always wanted to own a candy store," Ritchey said. "I wanted something different. I was over dispatching, and when the opportunity came up to own the store, I bought it with the intentions of keeping what was already here because it was working."

Ritchey not only plans on keeping certain things but expanding its' horizons. That expansion began as Ritchey introduced candy by the pound.

"I have some candy now but I have big plans for a candy store," she said. "Old fashioned candy."

At the moment Ritchey has less than 50 pounds of old-fashioned candy, but she plans on expanding as soon as she can.

"Eventually we will have barrels of candy and it will be by the pound," Ritchey said.

Ritchey reminisced about her experiences with candy stores as a child and even as an adult.

"Sugar. Who doesn't like sugar?" Ritchey said. "To this day, when I go to any town and there is a candy store, I am there."

Coffee Corner is definitely more than a name, as Ritchey and her crew have been trained under Niebur's watchful eye, so the quality coffee that has caffeinated many throughout the community will still be available, along with deliveries.

"What is better than having both (coffee and candy) in one place?" Ritchey said.