The Story of The Last Resort: Part Six

Part Six of how the Last Resort came to be! Scroll down to read Parts One, Two, Three, Four and Five!

During the time Jennifer was with me at the resort I had to fly some trips so I hired a housekeeper/childcare woman to stay in our house and watch over her while I was away. After the flight I went shopping in Chicago for furniture for the resort. I needed 8 sets of complete furniture for the resort. I stopped at a furniture store in Elgin, IL and they had a display of like new furniture set up. Everything from beds, dressers, lamps, couches, chairs, pictures, dining room tables, chairs, etc. I asked him if he could provide 8 complete sets for 2 and 3 bedroom cottages. He went to the phone to check and dialed a number. I just happened to be standing behind him and just happened to remember the number. He gave me a price and I told him I would think about it. I went out and found a pay phone, (NO CELL PHONES BACK THEN). I called the number and it was General Furniture Leasing in Elk Grove Village, IL. I got the address and made a dash over. It was a HUGE warehouse that specialized in renting furniture to visiting dignitaries, sports figures, etc. The furniture was like new and the prices were right so I bought 12 sets of complete furniture. Next step was to buy a truck to haul the stuff up to Eagle River. Managed that and outfitted the resort and advertised and sold the other 4 sets of furniture.

I needed building material so I went to the local sawmill and met Carl Schels Sr. who was the owner. Carl was a REAL pioneer in the Northwoods and later wrote an excellent book, The Legacy of a Trapper, which is about his adventures in Wisconsin. It’s still available in the book store in Eagle River and is a good vacation read. Another lumber yard I used was Boone’s Building Supplies. Ralph “Jiggs” Boone was the proprietor and he ran the place with an iron hand. I was there digging through the pile of 2 x 4’s and he came out of the office and said, “Hey, whatcha’ think you’re doing picking through them boards?” I told him that I needed straight boards and some were as crooked as a hounds leg. He replied, “Well you gotta take some because I don’t want to get stuck with all of them.” Just then a large fellow pulled up in his car. He began picking through the 2 x 4’s and Jiggs came running out and told him that if he wanted to pick through the boards they would cost an extra .50 cents each. The guy said, “*&^%# you, I am going to another lumber yard.” Well, before I finished my lumber shopping the guy came back and started digging through the 2 x 4’s again. Jiggs came flying out and said “Whattaya’ think you’re doing?” The guy said ok, I will pay you .50 cents more a board. Jiggs said, “Well, that was when you were here the first time, now its $1.00 more a board. HAHAHAHAHA. It was really funny. He paid the extra dollar.

To be continued…………………