Editor's note: This is part of a 15-story series titled "If These Walls Could Talk" completed by Pioneer reporters with help from the Beltrami County Historical Society for our 2023 Annual Report.
When a downtown area has as rich of a history as Bemidji鈥檚 does, certain historical aspects are often preserved for decades. Such is the case for 218 Clothing + Gift, a shop housed in a small building with a rich history that has stood the test of time.
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On Nov. 17, 1897, the Bank of Bemidji opened its doors in a small white wooden building on the corner of Third Street and Minnesota Avenue in the heart of downtown Bemidji by owners R.E. Davis and William H. Taber.
On its opening day, five people opened checking accounts at the bank totaling $910, as well as 18 loans totaling $1,088.
The bank quickly outgrew its initial space and on Nov. 27, 1903, the bank moved into a brand new block on the northeast corner of Third and Minnesota that included a basement. Barbers seemed to like the immediate area, and Paul Foucault moved into the new basement. In 1906, Foucault did some remodeling to the shop and added a bathroom.
As was the case with most other buildings on Third Street, the bank also had offices upstairs and had lawyers, realtors and others as tenants. In 1904, both Dr. Henderson and Dr. Tuomy had offices upstairs.
The bank again needed to expand, and an extensive remodeling job took place in 1913, as reported in a Bemidji Pioneer article at the time.
鈥淒uring the coming summer improvements to the amount of about $15,000 will be made upon the (bank) building of this city,鈥� the story read. 鈥淧lans and specifications for the remodeling have been received by the directors. The front will be of white stone and the inside will be entirely remodeled. An addition of 30 feet will be built in the rear.鈥�
The upstairs continued to have long-term tenants. Dr. Dannenberg, chiropractor, was upstairs in 1920 along with lawyer and Judge Marshall Spooner, and architect Charles B. Funk. In the 1940s, it housed two physicians, Drs. Jacobson and Haller. It also housed the Waite Studio, a photography studio, which partnered with the Northland Times to sponsor a 鈥漛eautiful baby鈥� contest in 1946.
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During the early 1930s, Al Amundsen moved downstairs into the basement of the building where he operated his business, Al鈥檚 Barber Shop. It became the location for 鈥淩ed鈥� Walters in 1937. 鈥淩ed鈥� Walters and Cliff Morlan formed a partnership in February 1941 and set up in Walters鈥� place of business. By 1946, Fritz Hanson replaced Walters as Morlan鈥檚 partner in what they called the First National Bank Barber Shop. The basement continued to be used as a barbershop by Harvey Brundage in the mid-1950s.
During World War I, the bank鈥檚 total assets hit the $1 million mark. The bank continued to grow slowly, hindered by the depression during the 1930s.
In 1931, the Bank of Bemidji underwent another significant change when it was renamed to First National Bank Bemidji after being purchased by Andrew and Charles Warfield.
About 14 years later in 1945, Nick and Rudy Welle along with Elgin Phillips and Les Hoganson acquired the bank from the Warfields.
By that year, assets had passed the $5 million mark, quintupling since the 1910s. In 1948 the bank went through a complete remodel.
With assets breezing past the $7 million mark in 1963, the building on Third Street was unable to accommodate the bank鈥檚 growth. Construction began for a new bank facility on the corner of Fifth Street and Minnesota Avenue and was completed in 1964.
After 67 years of First National Bank being housed within the building, it was finally vacant and ready for a new business to move in. According to property manager Dan Christianson, after the bank moved locations the Welle family sold the space to Jack Naastad, who operated a Kirby Vacuum center in the space for about 21 years.
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In 1985, Jack鈥檚 brother Knute took over the space, running a vacuum and sewing shop in the space until about 2003.
In 2004, Phil and Angie Bremer opened a chiropractic office in the space.
The shop on the corner of Third Street and Minnesota Avenue found long-term residents in 2014 when sisters-in-law Jen and Jennifer Pomp opened 218 Home + Gift (now 218 Clothing + Gift) at the former home of First National Bank Bemidji at 223 Third Street.
Named after northern Minnesota鈥檚 area code, 218 is now a one-stop-shop for tourists and locals alike to stock up on Bemidji and Minnesota-themed apparel and gifts.
Despite all the changes in businesses operating in the space over the years, the front of the building still displays the 鈥淔irst National Bank鈥� lettering to this day, preserving an important piece of downtown Bemidji鈥檚 history.
The Trust Project
