The Bonner Meat Company in Sandpoint Idaho - owned by Phil and Ida (Kujawski) Willi

The last article was about my Great Grand Aunt Ida and her husband Philip's life.  They owned a business named "The Bonner Meat Company" which was an important business in Sandpoint and the building they built is on the historical register. So I thought I would highlight on this post today some of the articles I found.

The Company was owned by Henry Arnold and Philip Willi. (Philip’s wife was Ida Kujawski, she was the daughter of John and Mary Kujawski, my Great Great Grandparents).  Philip and Henry were former owners of the Cash Market before opening the Bonner Meat Company on July 1, 1908.

Since the Bonner Meat Company was a prominent business, I was able to find several newspaper articles and other interesting tidbits about the company.  The building is now on the Sandpoint City Tour as a historical site.

 

Bonner Historical Society and City of Sandpoint

The Bonner Meat Company built a building at 101 N. First Ave in Sandpoint, Idaho in 1908.  This was a central location for local farmers to supply bountiful amounts of beef, pork, sheep and lamb.  Providing meat both locally and regionally, the company prided itself on being an upscale meat market.  The two-story brick building cost $75,000 and was equipped with an elevator, modern refrigeration, huge marble counters and tiled floors and walls.  Canvas awnings shelter the door and two large storefront windows on the east side.  

The Village of Sandpoint was incorporated in February of 1901 where the farms, forests, and ranch lands as well as the rich mineral deposits in the Lake Pend Oreille region attracted settlers to this small community and surrounding areas.  Timber became the main industry in Sandpoint. In 1910 the first two-mile bridge connecting Sandpoint with Sagle was completed and a theater was built in the late 1920s. A ski area opened in 1963 and more recreational opportunities began to attract a different type of people. Now in present day, the Sandpoint area has transitioned from a resource-based economy of logging, mining, farming, and ranching to a more diversified economy. 

 

The Bonner County Daily Bee dated April/June 2020 wrote a couple of articles about what was happening 100 years ago:

1920 - $50,000 packing plant for the city: After visiting the northwest’s most modern packing plants, Phil Willi of the Bonner Meat Company has plans to give Sandpoint and Bonner county a $50.000 packing plant, starting construction as soon as weather permits.  The plant will be one of the most up to date in the region with a building 60x100 foot, two stories with a basement, built of brick or concrete. Only up-to-date equipment will be installed including the latest improved ammonia refrigerating system and ice plant.

1920 - The Bonner Meat Company has posted the blue prints for the new packing plant in the window of the market on First and Pine. The start of construction will take place as soon as possible.

Butchers’ Advocate, dated 22 December 1920

1920 – The packing plant of the Bonner Meat Company Sandpoint Idaho which has been under construction for the last four months is now fully enclosed. The installation of machinery will be made at once. The cost of the refrigerating machinery will be about $20,000 and the cost of the entire plant $100,000. The building is concrete with steel reinforcement.

The Spokane Daily Chronicle dated 8 January 1936 had this article printed:

1936 - Idaho Whitefish Go To President: Lake Pend Oreille whitefish, recognized as a toothsome delicacy, may grace the White House table. The Bonner Meat company, local dealers in whitefish, today sent the president a carton of selected smoked whitefish with the best wishes of the fisherman of this region.  R. A. Leaf, manager of the company's whitefish department, said he believed the president should be acquainted with the whitefish of northern Idaho.

The Packers’ Encyclopedia – The National Provisioner

This book has several articles written about the Bonner Meat Company.  It was a reference that was published by the National Provisioner for the meat industry throughout the United States.

1907 – Meat market firm of Phil Willi and Henry Arnold. Henry’s brother, Albert, was shot accidently with his own gun and died on 20 Aug 1907.

1909 – Henry Arnold has succeeded Frank Arnold in the meat business in Sandpoint, Idaho.

1909 – Philip Willi has succeeded to the entire ownership of the Bonner Meat Company in Sandpoint, Idaho.

1920 – A carload of sewer pipe arrived for Phil Willi for laying the sewer for the packing plant he will erect NW of the city, in the vicinity of the Humbird (Lincoln) school.

1922 -The Sandpoint Bonner Meat Company on First Ave and Pine St, Phil Willi proprietor, Wholesale butchers and packers Government inspection.

1923 – Phil Willi manager and principal owner of the Bonner Meat Co, Sandpoint Idaho, has completed a large freezer in the basement of the new plant. They are having a prosperous summer.

The house they owned in Sandpoint, Idaho

Philip and Ida Willi lived at 115 Lake Street.  This address is currently the Hydra Steakhouse according to Google Maps.

 

 

Things to research:

·       The ownership after Philip Willi died in 1930.  It looked like according to the information on the 1930 census that his wife, Ida, had taken over the business. Their son, Phil Jr., was nineteen at the time. On the 1940 census, it states that Ida is not working but Philip Jr owns a Butcher Business.  Philip Jr’s Registration Card for WWII, dated 1940, states his place of employment is at Dick’s Market that he owns at First and Pine Street in Sandpoint, Idaho. One of the articles above states that the Bonner Meat Company was located on First and Pine Street. Did he rename the Business?

·       In researching the family, they all moved to Seattle.  Was the business sold?

·       In the article dated 1936, the manager R.A. Leaf is the same name that one of the daughter’s married in 1929. Is it one and same person?

Thanks for stopping by!