Munn’s Bakery

Situated on the corner of Second Avenue and Washington Street, Munn’s Bakery has stood for more than 100 years. The address, 1999 Second Avenue, in Rossland has seen a bakery, a grocery, a tobacco store, a hardware store, a restaurant and even more since its construction around 1898.

Munn’s Bakery was built next to the Western Hotel by Michael Sullivan, a wood (fuel) provider who allowed Munn to operate his store within the premises from 1898 until he later sold the property to Munn in 1902. Munn moved to Rossland from Prince Edward Island around 1898 and quickly became a notable Rossland businessman who, in addition to the bakery, owned several mining properties in the north and a ranch near Kootenay Columbia Mountain, known as the Munn Ranch. The original listing for A. Munn’s business on the corner of 2nd Avenue in 1898 was as “fruits and tobacco;” however, sometime between 1910 and 1914, it was re-listed as a grocery, stationery, and bakery. Munn ran this building for around 20 years before his death in 1920. His eldest son, Heath, then moved up from Boston to take over management of the store, but focused solely on the baking side of the business until 1927.

Multiple other businesses have been run in this building in the subsequent century. There is evidence that the building changed hands a number of times after 1927. Most notably, Ernest and Harry W. Lefevre ran Lefevre Grocery on 2nd Avenue from 1935 to around 1944. Afterwards, Elmer Thompson and Firmin J. Bousquet ran a corner store together until 1958, when Bousquet quit and took on a new business venture in Nelson, the Savoy Hotel. Thompson ran The Handy Store in Rossland until 1973. During these years, he still owned the building and rented it out to a variety of different businesses, including the Department of Highways at some point. Rose Garbutt bought the building in 1999 and opened Idgie’s restaurant. In 2025, the restaurant came under new ownership but still occupies the same address under the same name.

For More Information:

• Rossland Heritage Commission Official Heritage Register - Buildings: “Munn’s Bakery”

• Historic Places Canada: Munn’s Bakery

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