Bemidji Woolen Mills owner Bill Batchelder demonstrates a machine for sewing buttons onto clothing .
The Bemidji Woolen Mills retail store offers a wide variety of items from woolen goods to Minnesota ’ s famed wild rice .
purchased a woolen mill in another town and promptly moved it to their hometown . With a ready source of wool from sheep raised in the area , the father and son started with a wool carding machine and picker to pull apart and comb the wool to make quilt batting , later adding a yarn spinning machine to make wool yarn and socks . They specialized in wool blankets and later , quality outdoor woolen apparel for loggers in the surrounding area . Bill Batchelder joined the family business in 1972 under the guidance of his grandfather , father and uncle . The grandfather continued to work until his death in 1992 with Bill and his brother Bob taking over the business three years later . Bill commented that nearly every fourth-generation family member has worked in the business . During its heyday the mill employed 40 full-time and several part-time workers . Currently , he has 16 employees , not all of whom are full-time .
Bemidji Woolen Mills continues to make wool quilt batting in the same manner as in 1920 . Bill commented the firm ’ s mittens sell by the thousands , but the best-selling item continues to be its jac shirts ( heavy shirts often used as jackets ) in lumberjack , or , buffalo plaid that are available in sizes 2 to 52 .
Moving to the building ’ s sewing area the CEO demonstrated his skill operating two of the firm ’ s machines , one that creates and sews button holes and another that sews buttons onto shirts and jackets . Here we met Natalya Trett who was at work crafting a blue and black jac shirt . Originally from Ukraine , Natalya has been employed at the mill for over 20 years . She is now proud to work with her two sons who recently emigrated from Ukraine .
We had assumed the Bemidji store sold only products made by the firm , but Bill ’ s grandfather decided long ago it would be good for the business to also sell other high-quality merchandise alongside their own products . We should have realized when browsing through the retail area
Thomasville Scene February | March 2023 45