Bontragers/Bowers 6: Allison Is Married! Who Will Date Her Brothers Now?

[JermajestyDuggar]

Just now, HereticHick said:

I am very curious to know if any other Bontrager kids (like Liz) will get to work at the Inn, now that Allison's gone.  Mitchell and Bryn run the Inn, but they will soon have 2 little kids, and Bryn will have less time to spend manning the reception desk/cleaning/scheduling, etc.

They do have workers at the inn and I bet they will hire someone new or just pile more work onto a current employee. 

[HereticHick]

1 minute ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

They do have workers at the inn and I bet they will hire someone new or just pile more work onto a current employee. 

Hmmm--maybe even Joe could be rotated into the Inn lineup?

[JermajestyDuggar]

13 minutes ago, HereticHick said:

Hmmm--maybe even Joe could be rotated into the Inn lineup?

Or Praise once they are married.

[NancyDrewFan1989]

10 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

They do have workers at the inn and I bet they will hire someone new or just pile more work onto a current employee. 

I’m assuming they have regular employees at the inn. When discussing Allison’s job duties they’ve mentioned she was the hiring and firing queen. So, I believe there are more people working there to help them out.

[ophelia]

There definitely are more people working at the Inn.

And I can see Liz support Mitch when he and Bryn are having their second child.

[JermajestyDuggar]

With the Bontragers so eager to marry off all their children, I wonder how long the singing tour will last. Denver and Praise can go along before she has their first baby. Therefore they will likely still tour through 2021. But after that, if Denver and Praise decide to stay home with a baby, they would only have 4 teen children and Joe left. 

[HereticHick]

15 hours ago, NancyDrewFan1989 said:

I’m assuming they have regular employees at the inn. When discussing Allison’s job duties they’ve mentioned she was the hiring and firing queen. So, I believe there are more people working there to help them out.

Absolutely-- Bryn actually worked at the Inn before she was even engaged to Mitchell. But it isn't a huge hotel )see it here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g38033-d645786-Reviews-Dutch_Country_Inn-Kalona_Iowa.html) and doesn't have grounds, a pool, or even a gym to maintain, so it doesn't have a very big staff.

[NancyDrewFan1989]

41 minutes ago, HereticHick said:

Absolutely-- Bryn actually worked at the Inn before she was even engaged to Mitchell. But it isn't a huge hotel )see it here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g38033-d645786-Reviews-Dutch_Country_Inn-Kalona_Iowa.html) and doesn't have grounds, a pool, or even a gym to maintain, so it doesn't have a very big staff.

Very true, so they probably have just the amount of staff they need. Plus, it doesn’t surprise me they don’t have a gym and pool because of their modesty standards. I have a feeling the majority of the staff are either part time or on-call, mainly because they may be able to avoid covering their benefits. I don’t know what the laws in Iowa are, but I’ve heard of a few family owned businesses keeping their staff limited to part time and on call to avoid covering benefits for their employees. 

[Sops2]

"Allison B" was "Guest relations manager" from August 2017 to February 2020 and wrote many of the responses to guest comments on Tripadvisor. Her comments are all well written, the replies specific to the comments made  and  she comes across as competent. It sounds a successful, well run business with Allison playing an important part

Now it's Mitchell Bontrager, "General Manager"  who writes the comments now

 Allison's dreams have come true and she is married, but  some days she must look back and compare what she is doing now with what she used to do. She is answerable to her husband and father in law. No making decisions and deciding things for herself now 

[NancyDrewFan1989]

5 minutes ago, Sops2 said:

"Allison B" was "Guest relations manager" from August 2017 to February 2020 and wrote many of the responses to guest comments on Tripadvisor. Her comments are all well written, the replies specific to the comments made  and  she comes across as competent. It sounds a successful, well run business with Allison playing an important part

Now it's Mitchell Bontrager, "General Manager"  who writes the comments now

 Allison's dreams have come true and she is married, but  some days she must look back and compare what she is doing now with what she used to do. She is answerable to her husband and father in law. No making decisions and deciding things for herself now 

This is what makes me sad about Allison. She really did enjoy running and living at the inn. Then Mitchell got married and Marlin and Becky took it away from her and gave the job to him and Bryn. I know we snarked on her a lot with her brothers bringing her flowers and single life, but she really did seem genuinely happy with what she did there. I really feel that Marlin and Becky did everything they could to pressure her to find a husband and make her miserable until she found one. Allison, to me, was extremely desperate and jumped at the first opportunity to get our if there. 

[IsmeWeatherwax]

I just had to be nosy and look at the 1 and 2 star reviews! 

It seems Bryns Dad? was manager in 2016, Wilson Leppert. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

10 minutes ago, IsmeWeatherwax said:

I just had to be nosy and look at the 1 and 2 star reviews! 

It seems Bryns Dad? was manager in 2016, Wilson Leppert. 

No, Wilson is her older brother I believe. She has three brothers.

[usedbicycle]

I can't help but chuckle at the very idea of fundies running a motel. We all know motels aren't just for out-of-towners attending business meetings. Even in the heart of Amish country, I'm sure many couples of varying marital status need a place for...privacy. 

Do the Bons ask for a marriage license before renting out the room with the king size bed and jacuzzi? And gasp, what if Adam and Steve want to book it? 

 

[petrushka]

18 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

No, Wilson is her older brother I believe. She has three brothers.

 Looks like Bryn's brother Alex is getting married next month at the same church she and Mitchell were wed. My guess it's to a local gal.  It has always puzzled me that of all the Bontrager offspring, only one (Mitchell) so far has married someone from the same community.

Wilson now appears to have his own photography business in Iowa--Leppert Media.  I  don't know why so many fundies try to make a living this way.  I can't imagine being able to support a large family on this alone.

[JermajestyDuggar]

6 minutes ago, petrushka said:

 Looks like Bryn's brother Alex is getting married next month at the same church she and Mitchell were wed. My guess it's to a local gal.  It has always puzzled me that of all the Bontrager offspring, only one (Mitchell) so far has married someone from the same community.

Wilson now appears to have his own photography business in Iowa--Leppert Media.  I  don't know why so many fundies try to make a living this way.  I can't imagine being able to support a large family on this alone.

I bet he has a regular job on top of the photography. He has two kids already.

[Melissa1977]

24 minutes ago, petrushka said:

It has always puzzled me that of all the Bontrager offspring, only one (Mitchell) so far has married someone from the same community.

He seems kind and not full of himself. Conversely, Joshua, Allison, even Chelsy act as superior and maybe they were not appealing for locals, who know them very well. I have my doubts that Marlin is popular in their town, but I may be very wrong.

[ophelia]

27 minutes ago, petrushka said:

 Looks like Bryn's brother Alex is getting married next month at the same church she and Mitchell were wed. My guess it's to a local gal.  It has always puzzled me that of all the Bontrager offspring, only one (Mitchell) so far has married someone from the same community.

Wilson now appears to have his own photography business in Iowa--Leppert Media.  I  don't know why so many fundies try to make a living this way.  I can't imagine being able to support a large family on this alone.

Well, maybe the Bonts aren't that popular in their community. Marlin comes across pretty arrogant, even by fundie standards. Same goes for his wife. And Josh and Allison can be also quite pretentious.

[Nothing if not critical]

1 hour ago, Melissa1977 said:

He seems kind and not full of himself.

I'd agree, but I remember seeing Mitchell in that Gaycation episode where Ellen was talking to the Bontragers (sorry, can't link to it - none of the links I had seem to be working anymore). Anyway, he came off just as smug and condescending as the rest of the family then, plus of course with the same horrid beliefs.

[JermajestyDuggar]

8 minutes ago, Nothing if not critical said:

I'd agree, but I remember seeing Mitchell in that Gaycation episode where Ellen was talking to the Bontragers (sorry, can't link to it - none of the links I had seem to be working anymore). Anyway, he came off just as smug and condescending as the rest of the family then, plus of course with the same horrid beliefs.

Yes. I just assume that all the males in that family are smug, condescending, and generally insufferable to many people. Of course there are a lot of fundie families just the same and they likely don’t mind it. 

[Bluebirdbluebell]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Bontragers were more intense fundie than even the people in the area. Most churches have people of various levels of devotion. I doubt/hope everyone who goes to their church is as crazy as them. 

[fundiefan]

Fortunately, not every family has a Marvin Bontrager as its dear leader. I wouldn't doubt for a second they are more extreme, and obnoxious, than the majority who attend their church. Or, live in their area. They're tight with other crazy fundie families, but don't seem to engage much with other families in their area - just your average Baptist attending their church. Of course they could do so and just not show it on the blog because the fundie crazies get more mileage, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Bontragers are not among the most beloved families in their church or town.

Then again, wasn't their pastor's wife in Chelsy's wedding party? Maybe they are all in deep and we should all take heed and stay the hell away from that entire area of Iowa. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

16 minutes ago, fundiefan said:

Fortunately, not every family has a Marvin Bontrager as its dear leader. I wouldn't doubt for a second they are more extreme, and obnoxious, than the majority who attend their church. Or, live in their area. They're tight with other crazy fundie families, but don't seem to engage much with other families in their area - just your average Baptist attending their church. Of course they could do so and just not show it on the blog because the fundie crazies get more mileage, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Bontragers are not among the most beloved families in their church or town.

Then again, wasn't their pastor's wife in Chelsy's wedding party? Maybe they are all in deep and we should all take heed and stay the hell away from that entire area of Iowa. 

Yes, one of the only non family bridesmaids was her pastor’s wife. I’m thinking they like the Bontragers just fine.

[HereticHick]

6 hours ago, ophelia said:

Well, maybe the Bonts aren't that popular in their community. Marlin comes across pretty arrogant, even by fundie standards. Same goes for his wife. And Josh and Allison can be also quite pretentious.

Marlin and Becky are former Mennonites. I bet arrogance and pretention of the Bontrager males does not go unnoticed among their Mennonite and Amish neighbors. I bet there there is some informal shunning going on.

[JermajestyDuggar]

7 minutes ago, HereticHick said:

Marlin and Becky are former Mennonites. I bet arrogance and pretention of the Bontrager males does not go unnoticed among their Mennonite and Amish neighbors. I bet there there is some informal shunning going on.

Every single time I watch a Bontrager wedding, I think of the Mennonite family members in the audience so uncomfortable with the show Marlin puts on. 

[fundiefan]

31 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

Yes, one of the only non family bridesmaids was her pastor’s wife. I’m thinking they like the Bontragers just fine.

True. And Marion Avenue church IS the church that puts on those god awful Christmas plays. Like, the one where the Jewish person was "saved" in the end...or however that played out, I don't remember exactly but it was really freaking disturbing. 

But, even at that, I doubt they are "beloved" by all. There are people who are very uncomfortable with pretentious, entitled, ignorant windbags. As someone else said, no church is entirely populated by everyone thinking the same way. Hell, even in the pissers strip mall cult there are people who disagree; it's the voice of disagreement that gets them kicked out & makes them publicity fodder. 

They no doubt fit in fine at their church even if not beloved by all but I still maintain that outside their particular crazy, branded circles, they are not anyone's favorite people. 

The arrogance - and ignorance - of Marlin is a huge turn off for normally functioning people not already at least part way in the same realm. 

 

**I take much of this back. I went to their blog to see if I could find the Christmas atrocity about the Jewish man getting "saved". F*ck the Bontragers, and their church. I am sure with a church like that, they are the greatest of members, adored by all. That so called play was even worse than I remembered. It was wrong on so many levels. They're dirt bags. All of them. 

In one commentary, Chelsy mentioned the Pharisees showing up in their "prideful pomp & glory" . Irony, they don't get it. 

What terrible, awful people. 

Edited October 15, 2020 by fundiefan