Humboldt's Historic Sites 
Modern Meat
510 Main Street
Harness Shops
The first known occupant of this building was J. Speak who ran his harness shop from this location until 1905. Speak sold the building to George Stokes, a harness maker from Winnipeg. This was the first location of Stokes Harness Shop - a business that would serve the Humboldt area for over 50 years. George Stokes moved his harness shop out of this building in 1910, when he constructed a new brick building further north on Main Street.
The building second from the left was first constructed by J. Speak for his harness shop.
Home Bakery
Charlie Shultz started the Home Bakery in 1917. Aldon Duke purchased the business in 1918. The bakery was a busy place, supplying baked goods to all the hotels in Humboldt plus the passenger trains and outlying area. The Home Bakery also had a soda fountain and beer counter in the confectionary portion at the back. In 1924, Aldon Duke built an addition to the south side of the building.
Modern Meat
James and Charles McInnes arrived in Humboldt in 1929. They bought this building from Eric Miller who was operating the bakery. The McInnes brothers started a butcher shop called Modern Meat Market in 1933.
In 1944, the McInnes brothers sold the business to Frank Graf, who had been an employee for ten years. In 1947, the business was purchased by Ben Kulcycki and Herman Fornssler - a partnership that lasted for twenty years. During that time, the store was enlarged, new equipment and coolers were installed and a new abattoir was built.
In 1968, Herman Fornssler sold his shares, and Modern Meat became a limited company with Ben and Jessie Kulcycki as shareholders.
In 1978, the business was purchased by long-time employees Bill Brecht, Mervin Bay and Zvonko Hren. The business name was changed to Modern Meat & Abattoir '78. During their management, a stainless steel smokehouse was installed in the store. Glen and Janice Dobmeier purchased the business in 1992. Kendel and Steven Bodnarchuk and Calvin and Jeannie Lukan purchased the business and the building in 2007.
Business Timeline
? - 1905 J. Speak Harness Shop
1905 - 1910 George Stokes Harness Shop
1917 - 1930s Home Bakery
1933 - Modern Meat
Top image: Modern Meats - Herman Fornsler, Mervin Bay, Bill Brecht and Ben Kulcycki, circa 1957.
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