Faribault Woolen Mill. But in the repetitive rhythms of looms and weavers, one can almost detect a patriotic chant. "U-S-A. U-S-A. U-S-A." A lost piece of America has come back to life. "You've got carding that's going on over here. You've got spinning going on here," says Chuck Mooty above the din, using words unfamiliar to him mere months ago. "We've got coning going on here," continues the former president and CEO of International Dairy Queen. Mooty and his cousin Paul Mooty, both from the Twin Cities, have saved from extinction the country's last mill turning raw wool into finished blankets. The mill dating back to The Civil War was shuttered after collapsing into foreclosure two summers ago. Equipment responsible for 145 years of production was readied for shipment to a buyer in Pakistan. "It was all tagged. There were tags on every piece of equipment," said Paul Mooty, the company's new chief financial officer. Looking for a challenge, the cousins bit off a big one. "I think for us it was how do we bring this back," said Chuck Mooty, the mill's president and CEO. "At a time of great economic recession or high unemployment, however you want to term it; we're at a point where we need to figure out how we're going to create jobs here."The Mootys are counting on rising transportation costs and a weaker dollar to level the playing field for an American textile manufacturer. A ready labor pool will not be an issue. "There's probably 225 or more applications we've received and we've not posted for jobs," says Paul Mooty as he hold up a folder several inches thick. "These are people that walked in." Terry Kuhlman walked back to the wool dyeing job he lost when the mill closed. "This is home. I've been doing it for 30 years, I had another job, but I just felt lost. Things weren't the same," says Kuhlman. "It's in my blood. It probably always will be now." Employment at the mill, currently at 25, should increase to 50 by year's end and possibly triple that if the Mootys can convince old military, retail, hotel and cruise line customers to give Faribault blankets another look. Chuck Mooty expects initial sales to be generated primarily throughthe company's website. Last week Faribault completed its first product run. "And so it's going to be our signature line. It's called the revival stripe," explained a visibly proud Chuck Mooty surrounded by thick wool tastefully striped blankets bagged and ready to ship. Already the mill is getting in the blood of the Mooty cousins too. At once a beginning and a last stand. Note: On Thursday, September15th, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton will travel to Faribaultfor a reopening ceremonyfor the woolen mill. The Faribault Woolen Mill will clear out existing inventory during a tent sale in its parking lotSeptember 16 amp; 17 from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m./>
