Her Voice: Melissa Chegus — Building community, one connection at a "Thyme"
Maury Wrubleski, DiscoverHumboldt.com | Monday, Aug 31 2026, 6:00 AM
For Melissa Chegus, community has never simply been a place on a map. It is something built through connection, collaboration and a willingness to pitch in.
More than two decades ago, Chegus and her husband, Chris, chose Watson as the place to raise their family. The decision brought her from a life that had included Toronto — where she met her husband — to a small Saskatchewan community that felt surprisingly familiar.
Chegus grew up on the island of Trinidad, where she remembers neighbours working together to build what their community needed, from schools to churches.
That spirit of cooperation was something she recognized in Watson.
“I saw a lot of those traits, I guess, in the community of Watson. So we picked Watson to be our home.”
A tradition of giving back
Over the years, Chegus has turned that sense of community into action.
She has been involved with organizations including the Humboldt Hospital Foundation, the Quill Plains Health Foundation and the Watson Chamber of Commerce. She has also served with Sage Hill Community Futures, gaining experience in supporting entrepreneurship and economic development.
For Chegus, volunteering is a lesson she learned early in life from her parents.
“Volunteering has always been a big part of my family life.”
Her involvement has given her an opportunity to support causes ranging from health care and local business to broader community development.
From entrepreneurship to community building
That philosophy has now become closely connected to her entrepreneurial work.
Chegus and her husband previously operated an RV dealership in Watson. Today, she is putting a different kind of business vision into practice through Thyme Bistro and Boutique.
The business combines food, retail and local art, but Chegus sees it as something bigger: a place where people can connect while providing a platform for other entrepreneurs.
Approximately 95 per cent of the products featured in the boutique come from small businesses owned by women.
For Chegus, showcasing those entrepreneurs is an important part of her role.
“There is no space for showcasing what it is that they do.”
Championing women in business
Her approach is less about competition and more about collaboration.
Thyme works with small businesses from Saskatchewan and beyond, bringing their products into Watson and giving customers an opportunity to discover them.
Chegus says that collaboration can create opportunities for entrepreneurs who might otherwise have difficulty finding a place to showcase their work.
Local ingredients are also woven into the bistro's menu, creating another connection between the business and the surrounding region.
Making room for local artists
That collaborative philosophy extends to the arts.
Chegus works with local artists to regularly change the artwork displayed throughout the bistro. Exhibits are booked well into the future, giving artists an opportunity to showcase and sell their work while creating an ever-changing environment for customers.
The rotating exhibits have become another way for Thyme to connect Watson with artists from the surrounding region.
The result is a business that reflects Chegus's broader philosophy: communities become stronger when people create opportunities for one another.
Drawing people to Watson
The response has extended well beyond Watson.
Chegus says customers have travelled from communities including Regina, Foam Lake, Nokomis, Spalding, Anaheim and Humboldt to visit Thyme.
Part of the attraction, she believes, is the emphasis on fresh, local food and the experience of sitting down and slowing down.
From locally sourced ingredients to creative menu items, Chegus says the goal is to make Time an experience worth travelling for.
The importance of “Taking Thyme”
For Chegus, that may be the most important part of what she has built.
Thyme, she says, is about having a coffee, sharing a meal with someone you love, meeting people and simply enjoying the surroundings.
“Those are all the things that I think are fairly important in life.”
In a world where people are often busy moving from one task to another, Chegus hopes the space encourages people to pause and connect.
Her advice to the next generation
Her message to other women considering entrepreneurship or community involvement is straightforward: start.
When it comes to volunteering, Chegus says the rewards are difficult to measure until you experience them yourself.
“For one, volunteering, just go out and do it. It's one of those things that are so fulfilling.”
Her own journey demonstrates where that first step can lead — from a young woman growing up in Trinidad, to a career in Toronto, a family life in Watson, years of community involvement and, now, an entrepreneurial venture that provides a stage for other women and local creators.
Building something together
For Melissa Chegus, building a business and building a community are not separate pursuits.
They are part of the same journey: one connection, one collaboration and one shared opportunity at a time.
Her Voice celebrates the women whose leadership, creativity and commitment are helping shape the communities around us. Thanks to all our participants over the series this summer.