A long time ago there was a boy, who at a very young age was ambitious and eager to make his fortune. He started out as a young lad herding cows for the Lidman Dairy, which was near 34th and Dupont. He also delivered meat to the “Wannigan boats,” used by loggers working on the Mississippi.
His early interest in cows sparked his desire to learn the meat business. So, at age 15, he went to work at the Camden Park Provision Co. at 46th and Lyndale and at the Arthur Miller Meat Co. at Lowry and Lyndale.
Who was this industrious young man? None other than one of the most respected and successful men in Camden, Paul Johnson, Camden’s “meat man.”
He was born in Minneapolis in 1897, attended Bremer Elementary School until 5th grade, then dropped out of school in favor of working. He questioned why he should go to school when he already had a job with the Lidman Dairy. Besides, he had fallen in love with a classmate when he was in 2nd grade, and you know, when you meet your true love in grammar school, you must start planning your future then and there. Right?
Don’t chuckle. This was no pipe dream or puppy love. Paul really did marry his grade school sweetheart, Lillian Rickert, in 1921. Paul was 24 then, and it was 17
years after they first fell in love.
When WWI came along Paul went to army duty in France, but when it was over in 1918, he came back to Camden and again started in the meat business. He first worked with F.A. Lindgren at the Camden Provision Co. After that he became a partner with Frank Hamack, who had a meat market at 4209 Washington Ave. In 1923 he became the sole owner, but in 1926 he sold the business back to Hamack and established a brand new market at 4142 Fremont.
This new place was one of the most modern meat markets in North Minneapolis. The most up-to-date fixtures were installed, including the latest type of
refrigeration to prepare and store the meat. He assured his previous customers that he would continue providing the same high quality of goods.
Paul Johnson had a different way of replenishing his stock than other meat market men. Most of the others ordered their supplies from a branch salesman, whereas Paul went personally downtown to the market every day to pick out his stock. The market was located in an area between 2nd and 3rd Ave. and surrounding blocks. Paul would visit each branch, checking the stores for quality and price. He was a master at choosing the best hanging beef and pricing out the various cuts.
Attending Meat Dealer’s Conventions in Los Angeles, Paul was introduced to a revelation in the curing of smoked hams and picnics. Up until that time they had been curing hams by soaking them in brine. The new method was to inject the brine under pressure into the ham to insure total penetration of the entire ham. This produced a product ready for the smoke house, saving days and weeks of time over the old method. Later, Paul produced a complete equipment package to carry out this new method of curing, and merchandized them throughout the Northwest.
Another source of income, adding to the total volume, was the many accounts he had with restaurants around town, gained from his civic connections. He was affiliated with many organizations, some of which were: President of Minnesota Meat Dealer’s Assoc., Past President of the Camden-Fremont Merchant’s Assoc., President of the Park Board and Vice President of the Camden Park State Bank. He was also a member of the North Side Commercial Club, North Side Athletic Assoc., VFW, American Legion, Plymouth Masonic Lodge, Treasurer of Golden Valley Golf Club, Scottish and York rite odd fellows, Minneapolis Athletic Club, Swedish Institute and North Methodist Church. He retired in 1955.
This man, and wife Lillian, had three sons, one of whom gave his life at Okinawa in 1945. Paul had so many wide and varied interests, aside from being a good father, and was generally referred to as “the man with the smile.”
Note: Thanks to Paul Johnson’s son, Ken, for his memories of his father. He had first-hand knowledge, as he worked at his dad’s market while a high school student. Leaving for WWII on graduation day, 1944, he returned to work with his father after the war, and stayed on until 1954.