Iconic 'Rita's Tea Room' property in Cape Breton up for sale

Rita's Tea Room hits the market One-time tourist attraction on Cape Breton Island is now for sale. Ryan MacDonald reports.

BIG POND CENTRE, N.S. — On Monday, a unique piece of real estate was placed on the market in Cape Breton.

For years, Rita's Tea Room, along Route 4 in Big Pond Centre, N.S., was where famed songstress Rita MacNeil joined visitors for a cup of her favourite blend. Now, the one-time tourist attraction in the singer's home community is for sale.

"It really is a show stopper," says Terry Campbell of the Cabot Group, the Sydney-based realtor approached by MacNeil's son to sell the property that has been in the family for years.

Campbell says the property encompasses 200 acres of land along the Bras d'Or Lake, and has been getting plenty of interest already. "This was Rita's vision and it's time to pass along the torch to the next person," he said.

For years, MacNeil would personally serve guests from all over the world at Rita's Tea Room. MacNeil initially bought the building, a former 1930's schoolhouse, in the 1980s, and turned it into a tourist experience and landmark along Route 4.

"Having the tea and oat cakes and meeting Rita … I don't think there's really a person on the Island who doesn't have that exact memory," said Marc Botte of 902 Advertising Group, which is helping market the property to a new generation. "The opportunity to own that piece of history and bring it forward into the future. It's literally a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Botte said.

As for whether the building could one day have a second lease on life as a tea room, Campbell said it's possible. "With the city approval and everything else, they could certainly look into doing that," he said. "All the commercial components are just tucked away behind a wall. So they didn't remove anything."

Botte points out there have been recent efforts to turn the rural area into an all-season getaway destination. He adds that if the property were to be developed for cabins or Air BnBs, or restored as a tea room, it could add to that.

"There's a lot of tourist attractions cropping up that will be four-season attractions," Botte said. "So for the right entrepreneur, there's definitely possibilities there."

As for the asking price for a property that really is steeped in the history of one of Canada's most beloved songstresses?

Campbell says it's hitting the market at just under $750,000.