The family

Most likely Walser, however certainly from the Canton Graubünden, is the source of the family Monn. You must in fact go back to Franzestgh Monn, a carpenter who was trained in Lyon who, unable to develop his activities in the village of Cavardiras, near Disentis where he lived, decided to cross on foot the Predelp pass to get to Rodi (Canton Ticino).

Franzestgh Monn met and married Carolina Salzi of Osco, where he settled and practiced his profession of carpenter and farmer. From their union were born Carlo (1890) and Maria (1904).

Carlo married Emilia Pedrinis (1897), daughter of Emilio Pedrinis, the eldest of 10 children, who would create, together with his relatives, the chain of cafes and ice-cream parlours, among them being some renowned venues in Milan.

Emilia Pedrinis was born in Milan, but at fifteen repatriated with her whole family. Emilio Pedrinis after having purchased in 1918 in Bellinzona a cafe-bar named "Calanca", created a special drink which pretended to fight the "grippe" flu, then a much dreaded disease. He asked his son-in-law Carlo to help in the management of this meeting place. Carlo agreed, however in 1921, his dream of opening a business in town turned into reality: when together with his wife Emilia, he purchased the business "fabrics and retail manufacturing" located in the Resinelli building in Station Avenue. Only four years later, the store moved into the Vantussi house close to the Collegiate church.

These very important years that saw Carlo and Emilia Monn very much engaged, one in the management of representatives and clients, and the other in the business of the store, as well as in the cutting of the shirts. However, in 1951, a short and violent illness struck Carlo Monn down and the third-born child Francesco (1930) took his place in the company.

The commercial strategy of Francesco Monn based on the enlargement of choice, the introduction of famous brands as well as exclusive models, allowed the transfer once again of the business of the Vantussi house to "Via della Torre", in the Pellicano building, thereby making it one of the most sought after and prestigious shops of the city.

Emilia Monn, who hid behind her tiny physique a will of iron, remained active in the business until 1980. Five years later, she passed away in Osco. Before she retired the "sciura Milia" (Lady Emilia in local dialect), had the pleasure of attending the opening of the shops in Lugano (1958), Locarno (1967) and Chiasso (1969). However, she never got to attend the inauguration of the store in Bellinzona (1990) when moved into their own building, located right in the centre of the town, between Collegiate square and Magoria Street.

Today the company Monn, which has over a hundred employees, is firmly controlled by Francesca, Emilio and Carola, daughters and son of Francesco Monn and Margherita Bernasconi.