Family and community are two of the most important things to businesswoman and entrepreneur, Sonya Frost. After moving to the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia for ten years, Frost found herself back home in Digby County running a family business alongside her husband, Jason. A fireside talk became a big plan to build a new business from the ground up. Frost and her family incorporated their family-oriented lifestyle and beautiful piece of paradise in their business venture to share with guests from all over the world.
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Sonya Frost is a family-oriented businesswoman from Long Island, Nova Scotia. Her husband, Jason, grew up along Digby Neck. “We can take a boat across the bay and get to where we grew up in fifteen minutes,” Frost described. They live a quiet, country bumpkin lifestyle in Clare, Nova Scotia. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Sonya worked at Staples in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She was promoted to manager and 
transferred to a Staples location in Yarmouth. She and Jason went back home to their roots and Jason worked at his family’s automotive business. When they had their daughter, Sonya left Staples and took on the automotive business alongside Jason. When Jason’s parents were ready to retire, Sonya and Jason bought the business and continue to run it to this day. Boliver’s Service Center has been in business for over thirty years, ten of which have been under the ownership of Sonya and Jason. The garage will service all makes and models, “We’re not scared of anything,” Frost teased. “Our guys will work on whatever you bring us.”
Frost said growing up, both she and Jason were brought up in families of entrepreneurs. “It’s just in our blood to be in the business industry and serving people,” she explained. Outside of the family business, Frost gets involved in as many community activities as possible. She’s been a Girl Guide leader, on the soccer association, and she has been treasurer on multiple boards. “I don’t have a lot of spare time, but I tend to get myself involved in a lot of stuff,” she said. She is a people person who loves to surround herself with her family, friends, and community.
Sissiboo River Retreat was an idea brought up around the campfire that came to life. Frost said she always planned to have a family business with her brother, Derick. A few years back while he was visiting, the idea of domes came up while sitting around the fire. “We thought they were a cool concept. They weren’t common at that point,” Frost said. They started looking for land and she contacted the CBDC to start the planning. After a property sale in Annapolis fell through, Sonya and Jason found a small piece of land just down the road from their house that would become the perfect match. “It was like this is where it was meant to be as soon as we walked on the property,” Frost explained. “It’s a beautiful little cove with a nice view. It’s a piece of paradise.” They immediately began the construction of the domes and put up the first one in July 2021, just 5 months after purchasing the property.
The first dome to go up in July 2021 is called, “The Fireside”. It’s a small, couples dome that is great for two people or a couple with a small child. A month later, the second dome named, “The Driftwood” was built. Frost explains that they had challenges throughout planning and building due to COVID-19 
restrictions, supply shortages, and building permits. Sourcing materials, meeting deadlines and price points all became a challenge during the construction of the first two domes. As well as building inspections and permits due to the uniqueness of the domes in the area. “We went in with punches and did what we needed to do to get those two domes,” Frost said on a positive note. Once they found Phoenix Domes, a reliable supplier, things started coming together. Construction for the third dome, “The Timberland”, halted for quite a long time but they got it up and running a year later. With all three domes up and running, Sissiboo River Retreat was ready to welcome guests.
Check-in at Sissiboo River Retreat is a breeze for guests. If they wish to book online, guests do not have to interact with the staff. Contactless check-in and check-out are available. However, if they prefer personal interaction and communications, Frost says that Barbara the Customer Experience Lead at Sissiboo River Retreat is wonderful to deal with and is always ready to assist future guests with their booking. Barbara is almost always the friendly voice guests will hear on the other end of the telephone as she answers the majority of the calls to the retreat. She is an expert in helping guests choose which dome is best suited to their needs. Guests can expect a confirmation email once their booking is completed, and a welcome email a week before their stay.
In the welcome email, Frost explains that guests are told the only things they need to bring are their food, drinks, and personal items such as clothing. “Most people are surprised when they get here,” she said. The domes have all your other glamping needs. Each dome is equipped with a heat pump, a small kitchenette, a three-piece bathroom, Wi-Fi, and a hot tub outside. The domes do not have televisions, so guests can take the opportunity to unwind in nature or simply enjoy the company of the friends and family that are staying with them. Each dome has a gated deck, making it easy to keep children and pets within the space. All of the decks are elevated and have beautiful views of the Sissiboo River. The Driftwood dome has a king-size bed on the main level and a queen-size bed in the loft. “It has a skylight, so you can lay in bed and look up at the stars,” Frost described. She continued to say The Timberland dome has a pellet stove inside, giving it a cozier feel, and The Fireside dome has an electric fireplace. There is no stove in the kitchenette, but each dome has an outdoor barbecue with a side burner. There is also a cooking space to keep out of the elements while cooking outside. Also, right outside the domes are propane fire pits and designated areas for a traditional campfire. Propane and wood are provided so guests can just relax and enjoy all the beautiful property.
Sissiboo River Retreat is located along the shoreline of the mouth of the Sissiboo River. The Sissiboo River is a huge river that connects to other bodies of water which go into Saint Mary’s Bay. Frost explains that the water in the Sissiboo River is salt water, and it can get very warm in the summertime. Guests can swim in the river in the summertime and Frost is looking into having paddleboards or kayaks at the retreat in the future. The domes sit on an elevated piece of property that has lots of spruce and hardwood trees. During the construction of the domes, they tried to keep as many trees as possible for the privacy of their guests and the conservation of nature. About five minutes away from the retreat is the town of Weymouth. It has all the general amenities including grocery stores, a pharmacy, gas stations, and more. Sissiboo River Retreat is in the perfect location for anyone wishing to enjoy the serenity of nature and have activities to fulfill their days.
Regardless of the season, Frost says guests take an interest in walking the beaches looking for beach glass or other artifacts. “It’s been an active river in the community for a long time. It used to be a major port, where schooners were built, and lumber was transported. We have found many unique things along the side of the river,” she added. Other activities guests can look forward to are fishing and enjoying the nearby parks and trails. There is one trail in particular Frost says is a family-friendly place to walk especially if they have young children. The nearby trail is usually decorated for the upcoming season or holiday such as Halloween and Christmas themes. Another activity that Frost would like to see more of is four-wheeling. Sissiboo River Retreat is close to abandoned railway tracks. ATV enthusiasts are more than welcome to stay at the retreat, bring their four-wheelers and other offroad vehicles and take advantage of the nearby trails. “You can drive right through the town of Weymouth,” Frost explained. “It’s one of the few places in Nova Scotia where you’re allowed to go from trail to road to trail on a four-wheeler.” She also noted that nearby, New France has uncharted forests and lots of history on the land. “There are old ruins back there. It’s quiet, peaceful, and beautiful. I’d love to see more people come with their four-wheelers and explore,” she said.
No matter what the occasion is that brings guests to Sissiboo River Retreat, Frost says their goal was to always be a family-friendly place, which includes the four-legged family members as well. While dome retreats are becoming more popular as time goes on, most are not pet-friendly and are strictly adult-only. Encouraging families with pets and children was the only right way to do it in their minds. “Our thoughts when we did this was to have a place we could enjoy with our family too. We’re pet people and we’re kid people, so we decided to create a family-fun space,” she explained. Frost also wanted to contribute to bringing people to Clare. “Part of our goal was to bring people to the area and showcase what we have,” she said. She has been able to employ people from the area and partner with other local businesses through the retreat. They offer local products within the domes for the guests to use and will continue to support local as much as they can.
In the upcoming year, Frost reveals there will be an additional dome built on the property called, “The Seascape.” “We have fun with every single dome. There’s something different about each one,” she said. Part of the fun is what they can add and improve with each dome. She says figuring out all the little details of each dome feels like putting pieces of a puzzle together. “After we build them, we sit down and debrief. Then we say okay, what can we do with the next one?” Frost says the next dome coming in 2024 will most likely have the best view. “This one will probably be my favourite… But I say that every time,” she laughed.
So, whether you’re looking for a place to host a small family reunion, a girl’s trip, or as a homebase while four-wheeling with your buddies, we recommend Sissiboo River Retreat to all. Be sure to stay up to date on their upcoming addition to the property and all their future endeavours by following them on social media.
by Gabrielle Gamblin