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Food • Drinks • Community
Flint House • Fort Frances
ABOUT FLINT HOUSE
Flint House is more than a restaurant - it’s a gathering place. A table for family dinners, friend catch-ups, and date nights that turn into traditions. We serve locally sourced food whenever possible, with a team that truly cares, in a space that feels like it’s always belonged to the people who walk through our doors.
Because great food is the start - and the best part is who you share it with.
Who Are We
A Fort Frances Landmark, Reimagined
If the walls of Flint House could talk, they’d tell stories of bankers, clothiers, and tobacconists. Of newspapers and magazines, linen and gift shops, a soda shop - and eventually, restaurants.
Patrons have entered this building for over a century looking for something. The land was granted to the Township of McIrvine in 1889, and the building dates back to the early 1900s with the construction of the Imperial Bank of Canada. Rock blasted from the canal and mill was used to build the basement - and that same rock still forms the foundation of what is now Flint House.
Today, we’ve restored and reworked as much of the original character as possible - honouring the history while shaping it into something fresh. Rustic comfort, contemporary shine, and a welcome that always feels familiar.
xoxo
The Space
The brick walls were exposed. The tin ceiling was restored to its original beauty. Wood from an old barn lines our walls - and even the barn ladders were repurposed into lighting.
You’ll find tables and benches that were once doors and pews from a local church. Doors inlaid with hundreds of wine corks saved by a previous owner. One bathroom door is original, while the other - marked “Council Chambers” - came from a courthouse in Two Harbours, Minnesota. Above the bar sits a refurbished humidor from the building’s cigar shop days, and on the wall hangs a window from the historic Rainy Lake Hotel.
And you’ll spot local touches throughout - including art by Cher Pruys, Day’s Gone By, capturing a walk through our town’s history.
While many details are rooted in the past, the experience is thoughtfully modern - including an open stainless-steel kitchen and washrooms that are non-gender and wheelchair friendly.
Flint House was created in December 2015 with the vision of Duane and Grace Cridland, with one simple goal: build a place where great food sparks lasting relationships.
We’re proud to carry forward a strong culinary legacy in this community - and we’re committed to keeping the standard high while staying grounded in what matters most: people.
Our Story
For Christine and Stacey, Flint House has never been “just a business.” It’s personal. It’s the place where they’ve watched neighbours become regulars, regulars become friends, and everyday meals turn into memories. They’re hands-on in the day-to-day - supporting the team, shaping the guest experience, and making sure every person who walks in feels the kind of welcome that keeps Fort Frances coming back.
And because they’re raising families of their own, they understand what gathering really looks like: the busy nights, the celebrations, the last-minute “let’s just go out” dinners, and the moments that matter. Flint House is built for all of it - because it’s built by family.
Today, Flint House is proudly run by sisters Christine and Stacey Cridland - Grace and Duane’s daughters - carrying forward what their family started with equal parts heart and hard work.
Meet Christine & Stacey Cridland
Business of the Year (16+ Employees)
Flint House was named Business of the Year (16+ Employees) at the Rainy River District Business Awards. We’re genuinely grateful - and we know this recognition belongs to more than just a name. It reflects our amazing staff, our loyal guests, and this community that continues to choose us for their everyday meals and their biggest moments.
Business Women of the Year + Fort Frances Women of the Year (2025)
A huge congratulations to Stacey & Christine Cridland for being recognized as Business Women of the Year, and for being named Fort Frances Women of the Year (2025). Their leadership, warmth, and dedication have helped Flint House grow into what it is today — a true family-run business built on care, consistency, and community.
And from Stacey & Christine, a heartfelt thank you to their mom and dad, Grace & Duane, for always being their biggest supporters. The foundation they built made this possible.
Citizens of the Year (2023) - Duane & Grace Cridland
In 2023, Duane and Grace Cridland were honoured together with Fort Frances’ Citizens of the Year award - a recognition that reflects how deeply they invested in this community, both through Flint House and beyond it.
Over the years, Duane and Grace helped create more than a restaurant - they built a place that feels like home, and a workplace our team is proud to be part of. Their generosity and leadership extended far past our walls through community dinners, fundraisers, and ongoing support for people in need.
We’re proud to stand alongside so many incredible local businesses, leaders, and volunteers who help Fort Frances thrive.
We’re incredibly honoured to have Flint House recognized for the work we love doing - serving great food, creating a place to gather, and showing up for the community that has always supported us right back.
Awards We’re Proud Of
Fort Frances has always taken care of its own - and we’re proud to give back whenever we can.
You’ll find Flint House showing up for the events that bring people together, including the Fort Frances Bass Championship and the International Falls bass tournament - because we love any excuse to celebrate this region and the people who make it what it is. We’re also proud to support the work of the Fort Frances BIA, helping make our community stronger and bringing more events and energy downtown.
Over the years, the Cridland family and the Flint House team have supported our community through initiatives like an annual Christmas dinner, cancer fundraisers, and food donations for those in need. We’re honoured to be part of local events and organizations in ways both big and small - because Flint House has always been about more than what’s on the plate.
And when it comes to hometown pride, we’re big supporters of the Fort Frances Lakers Junior A team - and you’ll often find us cheering them on right alongside the rest of town.
Community Is in the Recipe
Partnering with regional favourites like Rainy River Meats, Gerber's Farm, Sunrise Meats and individuals like Bannock Lady* name TBD, local fishermen and more!
Supporting local farms and producers
Purchasing beef from the local 4-H Club
We’re committed to sourcing local whenever possible - teaming up with regional farms, makers, and partners who care about quality as much as we do.
A few local connections we’re proud of:
Local Matters
And beyond the restaurant, the Cridland family is deeply rooted in the region - including Northwoods Gallery & Gifts and the Manitou Weather Station.
We honour the memory of Duane Cridland, Flint House owner and community builder, who passed in 2024.
Duane helped shape Flint House into what it is today - not only through the restaurant itself, but through the values behind it. He believed a great meal could do more than feed you; it could bring people together, turn strangers into regulars, and regulars into friends. That belief still lives here - in the way we welcome guests, support our team, and create a space where people feel comfortable staying awhile.
Duane’s warmth was steady and genuine. He had a way of making people feel seen - whether you were walking in for the first time or had been coming in for years. His presence continues to be felt in the heart of Flint House and in the many traditions that have grown around it.
His impact on Fort Frances reached far beyond our doors. From community dinners and fundraising efforts to the quieter moments of helping when someone needed it most, Duane led with compassion and generosity. He showed up for people, consistently - and that kind of leadership leaves a mark.
We’re deeply grateful to Grace, Christine, Stacey, and the entire Cridland family for carrying Duane’s legacy forward with strength, love, and dedication. Duane will always be part of Flint House - and always part of this community.
His favourite thing was seeing people together. We’ll keep that going - one table at a time.
In Memory of Duane Cridland
You may find it hard to believe Flint House lives in Fort Frances - but there is no doubt Fort Frances lives in Flint House.
Welcome home.
