History of the place

The mill began operations only in the 1920s when a traction engine was installed – a steam machine that powered both the mill and the sawmill. Unfortunately, during World War II, the building was severely damaged: the roof was destroyed, and the milling machines were stolen and moved to mills in Kęty and Żywiec.

After the war, in 1945, Salomon Barber, the son of pre-war co-owners, returned to Jaroszowice. Together with Józef Kamiński, a former employee of the mill, he began rebuilding the facility. The biggest challenge was bringing the nearly 3.5 kilometer power line, but after much effort, the mill was put back into operation.

For over four decades, the mill served local farmers, who brought their grains here in exchange for flour and bran. However, by the late 1980s, such operations were becoming less and less profitable, primarily due to the development of trade and the emergence of shops selling flour and bread in nearby villages. Therefore, part of the building was transformed into a furniture store imported from the Netherlands. Initially, the business did well, but soon it collapsed, leaving behind significant debts.

In 2004, the building began a new chapter in its history when local entrepreneurs purchased it. In 2006, its renovation and expansion began, and the result of six years of work by many people and numerous construction and restoration teams can now be admired in the form of the “Młyn Jacka” hotel and conference center. This opened a new page in the history of this place.

In 2022, the hotel caught the attention of two friends from Małopolska who saw potential and opportunities for development. With each passing year, the hotel is growing, offering new possibilities.

Thanks to its location, the hotel serves as an excellent base for exploring nearby places such as Wadowice, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Lanckorona, Sucha Beskidzka, Zawoja, Oświęcim, and many others. Its grounds still bear traces of the past – brick vaults in the restaurant “Spichlerz Smaków” and restored milling machines, whose unique atmosphere can be felt especially in the evening when they are illuminated. It's worth taking a walk around the entire facility to experience the unique atmosphere of this place.

QUESTIONS WORTH ANSWERING:

1. Who was Franciszek Foltin and what did he do with a million bricks?
   Franciszek Foltin, a representative of the middle generation of three Foltin Franciszeks, faced the dilemma of what to do with a million bricks he won in cards. He decided to build a building that was initially supposed to be a printing house but ultimately became a factory for shoe pegs and tubes for electrical cables.

2. Why was the printing house ultimately not created?
   Despite the initial plan to build a printing house, Franciszek changed his mind, and instead, a factory producing shoe pegs and tubes was established, probably in response to market demand.

3. What powered the sawmill behind the factory?
   The sawmill was powered by water from the Młynówka stream, which flowed from Świnna Poręba to Wadowice, providing energy to local mills and paper mills.

4. When did the mill begin operations, and what technology was used?
   The mill began operations in the 1920s when it was equipped with a traction engine, a steam machine that powered both the mill and the sawmill.

5. What happened to the mill building during World War II?
   During World War II, the building was severely damaged – the roof was destroyed, and the milling machines were stolen and moved to mills in Kęty and Żywiec.

6. Who rebuilt the mill after the war, and when?
   After the war, in 1945, the mill was rebuilt by Salomon Barber, the son of pre-war co-owners, in collaboration with Józef Kamiński, who worked at the mill before the war.

7. Why did the mill's operations become unprofitable in the 1980s?
   In the 1980s, the mill's operations began to lose profitability as shops selling flour and bread began to appear in nearby villages, reducing demand for local milling services.

8. What was in the mill building after the milling operations ceased?
   After the milling operations ceased, the building became a furniture store importing from the Netherlands, which initially did well but ultimately collapsed, leaving behind debts.

9. What happened in 2004 related to the mill building?
   In 2004, the building was purchased by local entrepreneurs who began its renovation and expansion in 2006, transforming it into the “Młyn Jacka” hotel and conference center.

10. Why is the “Młyn Jacka” hotel attractive to tourists?
    The “Młyn Jacka” hotel attracts tourists with its unique atmosphere, its location near tourist attractions such as Wadowice, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, and Oświęcim, as well as preserved elements of former milling machines and historic brick vaults in the restaurant.