NEW BUSINESS … Shelly Rivera in the dining room designed and built by her friends underneath a hand-painted sign her son put on the wall. (PHOTO BY ANNA WOZNIAK, STAFF)
By: Anna Wozniak
104 North Michigan Street in downtown Edon is buzzing with activity again for the first time in around a decade as friends, family, and community come together to make one woman’s dream become a reality.
Shelly Rivera, owner of River A Smokin’Q, has dreamed of her very own restaurant for nearly a decade.
Raised in Edgerton, Shelly and her family are committed to putting their “personal touch on everything,” and are excited to be part of another “tight knit community where everyone helps.”
From coming in early to prepare for the day with homemade recipes passed down from her late sister-in-law, Vickie, mother, and grandmother, to joining her son, Joshua, in setting up the kitchen, Shelly is determined to let her love for cooking good food shine through everything she does.
Kim and Jeff Maag, Shelly’s friends and partners, have been fundamental in seeing Shelly’s dream through.
Shelly said the idea started being discussed late in the Fall, with Kim approaching her with a few ideas on how to make it happen.
When the sale went through for the location in November, Shelly began working on her dream.
Three months later she retired from a 17-year tenure at Tri-Wall in Butler, Indiana, who Shelly says were always supportive of her following her dreams.
Shelly’s Diner will be open Tuesday-Saturday; 11 a.m.- 8 p.m. and can be reached during those hours at (419) 272-4045.
Anna can be reached at anna@thevillagereporter.com