On September 28th 2008, after a ton of work and a favorite nephew picking the restaurant’s name, Susan Edwards and her daughter Danelle French opened the doors to Aunt Sue’s Chalet.
Back in 1974 Susan and Don Edwards had purchased property here in Duck Creek and by 1980 they had begun building their family cabin where they reside today. Serving locals with their hearts and souls began in Mesquite Nevada, prior to World War II, where Danelle’s grandmother, Clareen Reber and her sister Verna Reber, worked for Vonda’s Café.
In 1985 Sue and Don Purchased Vonda’s and renamed it “Chalet Cafe.” They had three children… Danelle was 12, Greg was 15, and Kristi was just 18mo. old when “Good food and Friendly Service” became their life!
20 years later they decided to sell. They spent some time catering pit side on the Drag racing circuit and then shortly after they decided to retire, right here in Duck Creek, and their children quickly followed!
Aunt Sue happily blames Danelle for opening another restaurant and the locals are grateful she did! The first restaurant in Duck Creek was The Thunder Inn, owned and operated by Ralph and Ruth Web. Danelle and her siblings grew up dining and snowmobiling with Ralph and Ruth when they had sold the Thunder Inn and it became Rita’s. Soon after that the village eventually had a bar, a pizza place, an antique shop and finally Aunt Sue’s Chalet!
Before 2008 Duck Creek was a tiny, close-knit, community and for many decades the men and women who built their cabins did not have the amenities we have today. People hauled their families in, with food and water… Yes, trekking off to the ‘ole outhouse was part of the story! In the winters, owners would park on Mammoth Creek then load up sleds with all their necessities attached to their snowmobiles and then ride into their cabins.
Since 2008 the locals know, with true mountain grit, how Aunt Sue’s Chalet has been a beacon of reliability, always open, rain, shine or snow! This family restaurant stands the test of time and if you’re dining here today you will most likely see four generations of the Edwards Family working together and growing together!
Duck Creek is a place for the roughest and toughest mountain men and women alive! The people here at Aunt Sue’s are some of them! So, tip your hat and give an old timer a nod!
Thank you for being a part of our story!
The Aunt Sue’s Family