Where we shopped and hung out in 1969-70
Most of our favorite haunts and stores are gone but a few remain
In 1969 Roseville was a different place. If you lived south of Highway 36 and had missed the bus that morning, you could walk across the highway to Alexander Ramsey High School on the other side -- more or less safely if you hurried or waited for a lull in the traffic.
The highway was becoming busier though, thanks in part to Rosedale. It opened that year, joining Southdale and Brookdale as Minnesota's third “dale.” Before Rosedale, there was HarMar. It broke ground in 1961, a year before Target opened its first location in the country across the street. While Rosedale had glitz and more stores, HarMar also had fashionable shops and was expanding, adding a luxurious twin theater in 1970.
The highway was becoming busier though, thanks in part to Rosedale. It opened that year, joining Southdale and Brookdale as Minnesota's third “dale.” Before Rosedale, there was HarMar. It broke ground in 1961, a year before Target opened its first location in the country across the street. While Rosedale had glitz and more stores, HarMar also had fashionable shops and was expanding, adding a luxurious twin theater in 1970.
Most of them are now gone, their passing lamented by those who remember what it was like to cruise into the Roadside Drive In on a Friday night. The Roadside was, as their ad said, the In Place to go. Then there was Lokate’s, a teen night club a few miles east off Highway 36, where local bands like Michael’s Mystics rocked.
It’s not surprising that some business we remember from 1969 have disappeared. Midway Typewriter Exchange sold and repaired typewriters, a device as necessary then as a laptop or IPad is today. Sugar Dan's Drive in, another popular teen cruising spot, joined the Roadside in relocating to memory lane.
Yet at least one landmark from days gone by remains: the Lexington Plaza Dairy Queen is still in the same location it was in 1969 -- and in 1947 when it opened. It still looks about the same, its slanted windows and a neon ice-cream sign seeming oddly and wonderfully out of place next to its Lexington Avenue neighbors today.
Here’s a list of those stores and other businesses that reached out to Ramsey students through its school newspaper, and were part of the fabric of Roseville in 1969-70.
School newspaper advertisers 1969-70
Arthur's Four Seasons
Jazz club at 2300 University Avenue NE. Now Gasthof Zur Gemutlichkeit German restaurant.
See http://twincitiesmusichighlights.net/venues/arthurs-four-seasons/
Arthur's Portraiture
Portrait studio promoted creative senior portraits “in natural color.” No longer in business.
Bonanza Sirloin Pit
A steakhouse chain named after the popular Sunday night TV show, Bonanza was started in 1963 by Dan Blocker (“Hoss” Cartwright) and even featured Hoss, Ben, Hoss and Little Joe in early print ads. The Roseville location was at 1895 Rice Street, just south of Roselawn. Though Roseville’s Bonanza saw its last roundup, the chain still exists with its one remaining Minnesota location in St. Cloud.
Buttreys Rosedale
Formal dresses and evening gowns. No longer in business.
Coast to Coast
Har Mar Mall’s hardware store sold a wide variety of goods including boots, hats and parkas for Minnesota winters. Locally owned by the Borgstrom family, Roseville’s Coast to Coast survived into at least the 1980s on the north end of Har Mar. Coast to Coast is now defunct, part of Tru Value hardware.
Domestic Sales
Domestic Sales carried sewing machines and other sewing and craft items at its store at Larpenteur and Snelling in Falcon Heights. No longer in business.
Falcon Heights State Bank
On the corner of Snelling and Larpenteur since 1961, the bank moved Lexington Avenue in 1971 and was renamed North Star State Bank of Roseville. Now it’s called North Star Bank and still on Lexington Avenue with an additional location in White Bear Lake.
First Federal Savings & Loan
First Federal was the “corner of thrift” at Cedar and Fifth in Saint Paul. It merged into First Minnesota Savings Bank in 1986 and became part of Norwest Bank in 1990. Norwest merged into Wells Fargo in 1998.
Florsheim Shoe Shop
One of the original tenants when Rosedale Center opened in 1969, Florsheim Shoe Shop is still there, even though you can also buy a pair of Florsheim oxfords at another surviving Rosedale tenant, JCPenney.
Goodman Jewelers
Ramsey High school class rings and “Going steady” diamonds sparkled in ads for Goodman’s Jewelers Rosedale store. The chain was founded in Minnesota in 1907 and its ads were ubiquitous for decades. The Rosedale location is gone, but stores remain in Maplewood Mall, Northtown Mall in Blaine and Mankato.
Junior Miss
A fashionable place for teen girls, Junior Miss was in all the Malls -- Rosedale, Brookdale, Southdale and Knollwood (Ridgedale wouldn’t open until 1974). No longer in business.
Knit Shop
Before there was Michaels, you bought your yarns and patterns at this Har Mar store. No longer in business.
Lexington Plaza Dairy Queen
Minnesota’s first and oldest Dairy Queen opened in 1947. It’s still in its original location on Lexington Avenue, in an odd-shaped building with slanted glass windows and a neon ice cream cone sign. A step up to the order window is a step back to 1969, or maybe even 1950. Nothing much has changed since then, except for the prices -- a banana split was 29 cents in 1967. In recognition of its classic Roadside architecture and to forestall the threat of demolition, the Lexington Plaza Dairy Queen was named one of the Top 10 Most Endangered Historic Places in the state in 2010. See http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2012/04/29/finding-minnesota-states-oldest-dairy-queen-is-blast-from-the-past/
Lois Sample Shop
Before there was T.J. Maxx, you could afford that new look with discounted dresses, slacks and and skirts from this shop at 2805 Hamline, just south of County Road C2. The location is now an Olive Branch bistro.
Lokate's
Teen night club in North St. Paul hosted local 1960s bands like Michael’s Mystics and Jokers Wild.
McDonalds
The McDonald's on Snelling Avenue was the first McDonalds to open in Minnesota. Built in 1957 across from HarMar, it's still there, though the golden arches are smaller and the burgers more expensive. The Big Mac was introduced to the world in 1969 and cost 45 cents. Ramsey drama teacher Mike Hanily called them “gutbombs.”
Midway Typewriter Exchange
Typewrites sales and repair on Snelling Aveue a few blocks north of University, long gone. See http://www.twincities.com/2009/06/16/joe-soucheray-typewriter-long-gone-but-the-human-connection-isnt/
Roadside Drive In
Legendary high school hangout and cruising spot on Snelling Avenue across from Har Mar. It opened in 1948 and closed in 1972 when owner and founder Harvey Charbonneau leased the property to an Arbys.
Roberts Rent-A-Tux
If you needed a Tux and you did, Roberts Rent-A-Tux had five Twin Cities locations in 1970. No longer in business.
Roseville Marine
In 1970 it was across from Har Mar at 2151 North Snelling, where Burger King is now. Still in Roseville on Oakcrest Avenue near Fairview, now known as Roseville Auto and Marine.
Scherling-Pletch Studios
School yearbook photographers, a family business since 1919. Now known as Scherling Studios. The Roseville Lexington Avenue location is gone, but there are six locations nationally including one in Minneapolis and one in Fargo.
Sitzmark Ski Shop
Ski shop at 3100 North Lexington. No longer in business.
State Farm Insurance
State Farm touted discounts for Ramsey’s top students. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is still there with at least three agents in Roseville. Agent Chuck Westerlund, featured in one of the ads, retired only a few years ago.
Sugar Dan's Drive in
A popular cruising spot on Como Avenue in Saint Paul. No longer in business.
Travelwear
Har Mar Mall clothing store for men. No longer in business.
Villa Sports Wear
Sporting goods store on Como Avenue in St. Paul. No longer in business.
Vitale's Sports Center
Sporting goods store on the corner of Rice Street and Little Canada Road, across from the Venetian Inn. No longer in business
Young America
Clothing for both sexes -- and the sexiest ads to appear in our high school newspaper. No longer in business.
Jazz club at 2300 University Avenue NE. Now Gasthof Zur Gemutlichkeit German restaurant.
See http://twincitiesmusichighlights.net/venues/arthurs-four-seasons/
Arthur's Portraiture
Portrait studio promoted creative senior portraits “in natural color.” No longer in business.
Bonanza Sirloin Pit
A steakhouse chain named after the popular Sunday night TV show, Bonanza was started in 1963 by Dan Blocker (“Hoss” Cartwright) and even featured Hoss, Ben, Hoss and Little Joe in early print ads. The Roseville location was at 1895 Rice Street, just south of Roselawn. Though Roseville’s Bonanza saw its last roundup, the chain still exists with its one remaining Minnesota location in St. Cloud.
Buttreys Rosedale
Formal dresses and evening gowns. No longer in business.
Coast to Coast
Har Mar Mall’s hardware store sold a wide variety of goods including boots, hats and parkas for Minnesota winters. Locally owned by the Borgstrom family, Roseville’s Coast to Coast survived into at least the 1980s on the north end of Har Mar. Coast to Coast is now defunct, part of Tru Value hardware.
Domestic Sales
Domestic Sales carried sewing machines and other sewing and craft items at its store at Larpenteur and Snelling in Falcon Heights. No longer in business.
Falcon Heights State Bank
On the corner of Snelling and Larpenteur since 1961, the bank moved Lexington Avenue in 1971 and was renamed North Star State Bank of Roseville. Now it’s called North Star Bank and still on Lexington Avenue with an additional location in White Bear Lake.
First Federal Savings & Loan
First Federal was the “corner of thrift” at Cedar and Fifth in Saint Paul. It merged into First Minnesota Savings Bank in 1986 and became part of Norwest Bank in 1990. Norwest merged into Wells Fargo in 1998.
Florsheim Shoe Shop
One of the original tenants when Rosedale Center opened in 1969, Florsheim Shoe Shop is still there, even though you can also buy a pair of Florsheim oxfords at another surviving Rosedale tenant, JCPenney.
Goodman Jewelers
Ramsey High school class rings and “Going steady” diamonds sparkled in ads for Goodman’s Jewelers Rosedale store. The chain was founded in Minnesota in 1907 and its ads were ubiquitous for decades. The Rosedale location is gone, but stores remain in Maplewood Mall, Northtown Mall in Blaine and Mankato.
Junior Miss
A fashionable place for teen girls, Junior Miss was in all the Malls -- Rosedale, Brookdale, Southdale and Knollwood (Ridgedale wouldn’t open until 1974). No longer in business.
Knit Shop
Before there was Michaels, you bought your yarns and patterns at this Har Mar store. No longer in business.
Lexington Plaza Dairy Queen
Minnesota’s first and oldest Dairy Queen opened in 1947. It’s still in its original location on Lexington Avenue, in an odd-shaped building with slanted glass windows and a neon ice cream cone sign. A step up to the order window is a step back to 1969, or maybe even 1950. Nothing much has changed since then, except for the prices -- a banana split was 29 cents in 1967. In recognition of its classic Roadside architecture and to forestall the threat of demolition, the Lexington Plaza Dairy Queen was named one of the Top 10 Most Endangered Historic Places in the state in 2010. See http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2012/04/29/finding-minnesota-states-oldest-dairy-queen-is-blast-from-the-past/
Lois Sample Shop
Before there was T.J. Maxx, you could afford that new look with discounted dresses, slacks and and skirts from this shop at 2805 Hamline, just south of County Road C2. The location is now an Olive Branch bistro.
Lokate's
Teen night club in North St. Paul hosted local 1960s bands like Michael’s Mystics and Jokers Wild.
McDonalds
The McDonald's on Snelling Avenue was the first McDonalds to open in Minnesota. Built in 1957 across from HarMar, it's still there, though the golden arches are smaller and the burgers more expensive. The Big Mac was introduced to the world in 1969 and cost 45 cents. Ramsey drama teacher Mike Hanily called them “gutbombs.”
Midway Typewriter Exchange
Typewrites sales and repair on Snelling Aveue a few blocks north of University, long gone. See http://www.twincities.com/2009/06/16/joe-soucheray-typewriter-long-gone-but-the-human-connection-isnt/
Roadside Drive In
Legendary high school hangout and cruising spot on Snelling Avenue across from Har Mar. It opened in 1948 and closed in 1972 when owner and founder Harvey Charbonneau leased the property to an Arbys.
Roberts Rent-A-Tux
If you needed a Tux and you did, Roberts Rent-A-Tux had five Twin Cities locations in 1970. No longer in business.
Roseville Marine
In 1970 it was across from Har Mar at 2151 North Snelling, where Burger King is now. Still in Roseville on Oakcrest Avenue near Fairview, now known as Roseville Auto and Marine.
Scherling-Pletch Studios
School yearbook photographers, a family business since 1919. Now known as Scherling Studios. The Roseville Lexington Avenue location is gone, but there are six locations nationally including one in Minneapolis and one in Fargo.
Sitzmark Ski Shop
Ski shop at 3100 North Lexington. No longer in business.
State Farm Insurance
State Farm touted discounts for Ramsey’s top students. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is still there with at least three agents in Roseville. Agent Chuck Westerlund, featured in one of the ads, retired only a few years ago.
Sugar Dan's Drive in
A popular cruising spot on Como Avenue in Saint Paul. No longer in business.
Travelwear
Har Mar Mall clothing store for men. No longer in business.
Villa Sports Wear
Sporting goods store on Como Avenue in St. Paul. No longer in business.
Vitale's Sports Center
Sporting goods store on the corner of Rice Street and Little Canada Road, across from the Venetian Inn. No longer in business
Young America
Clothing for both sexes -- and the sexiest ads to appear in our high school newspaper. No longer in business.
SELECTED NEWSPAPER ADS 1969-70
Click arrows to move from ad to ad
