TEXA-TONKA SHOPPING CENTER

Texa-Tonka Shopping Center, on Minnetonka Blvd. between Virginia and Texas Avenues, was built by St. Louis Park resident Adolph "Bob" Fine.  Building cost was estimated at $78,000.  Fine's son Jeffrey remembers that it did not start out to be a shopping center at all; Fine built Penny's Market for George Levine and a drug store for Mike Zoss.  Next was Suburban Dry Cleaning, built in between the two freestanding buildings for Don Johnson. 

The Dispatch announced the building of the center in an article dated August 8, 1951, which called it the "Texas-Tonka" shopping center.  A significant feature was that it was to be constructed, owned, operated, and staffed entirely by local people.  Construction was to take place in three sections.

The first section, comprised of Penny Super Market and Mike Zoss Drug Store, opened on November 29, 1951.  The first advertising tag line was "Park Safely, Shop Wisely." 

Holiday ads for 1955 featured the slogan "The Shopping Center for Thrifty Buyers."

The shopping center sponsored a street dance on July 12, 1956 to celebrate the opening of Minnetonka Blvd. - possibly after a repaving project.  Music was provided by Jerry Mayeron's 6 Piece Orchestra.  That year the slogan was "For Thrifty Shoppers." 

The following is an alphabetical list of some of the stores that have operated at Texa-Tonka.  It is by no means complete, so if you know of any others, please contact us.  Also, the dates shown are dates we know the stores were there, but they may have been there before and/or after the date shown as well.  All addresses are on Minnetonka Blvd. unless otherwise listed.  Included are the stores across Minnetonka Blvd., as they were also built by Fine.  Our thanks to Mark Toretsky for his tireless search through microfilm to find evidence of grand openings.

American Bike and Sports:  8112  (1979)

Anderson Furniture:  8100.  (1963-68).  An ad from July 11, 1968 says the store is moving to Mound. 

AxMan Surplus:  8100.  (2007-)

The Bagel:  8110.  (1964)  "A Twin City First!"

Bagelville, a New York Bagelry:  8124.  Appears to have opened in December 1970. 

Bakery:  8128.  (2007)

Baskin Robbins 31 Flavors:  8136  (1963-66)

Ben Franklin 5 - 10 Store:  8116.  (1958-60)

Best of India Restaurant: 8120. (2007-)

Big B's Pizza:  8120.  Grand Opening July 19-21, 1968. 

Bizarre Bazaar:  8136.  (2007)

Bonhus Our Own Hardware:  8124.  (1955-64)

Caribbean Tan: 8112. (2007-)

Carousel Children's Shop:  8114  (1965-66)

Cha Rose Salon of Beauty:  8038.  (1955).  Featuring Mr. Charles.

Coffee Shop:  8134.  (2007)

Cop Shop:  8038.  (2007-)

Dahl Finance (1976)

Dale's Quality Apparel:  8120.  "Now open" March 5, 1953.

Dave's Shoe Repair (1976)

Dick's Pizza ("the master maker").  1965

Erik's Bike Shop:  8000.  (2007-)

Euro Gourmet:  8032.  (2007-)

Evenson Paint & Wallpaper Co.:  8036.  Grand opening September 25-26, 1953 at 7920 Minnetonka.  There until at least 1963.  Possibly a previous building across Texas; current building there was built in 1962.  At Texa-Tonka 1960-62 (at least).

Excel Pawn and Jewelry: 8008. (2007-)

Flower Fair:  8116.  (1963-64)

Frankie's Pizza:  8114.  (2007-)

Freer's Bakery (1955)

Friedman's Department Store  (1955-56)

Hardware Store:  8128.  (1960)

Harmony Fabrics:  8011.  (1955)

Holly House Interiors:  8036.  (1959-60)  Grand Opening October 1-3, 1959.  Also advertised as Mautz Paint and Wallpaper.

Home Bakery: 8104. (1960)

Hosar Bakery:  8110.  (1960-63)  Grand Opening December 15, 1960. 

House of Hobbies (1955-56)

Jiffy Lunch:  8005  (1958-63)

Kowloon Cafe:  3005 Utah (1959-63)

Larry's Sewing Center:  8134.  (1961)

Leo Fine Music (no relation to builder Adolph Fine)

MACamania:  8116.  (2007-)

Machine Shop:  A reader writes:  "I remember a little shop that was there in the early 1970s called The Machine Shop, and it was a slot car racing place. They had a pass-through window into the pizza place right next door so people could theoretically order pizza at the Machine Shop. It was a major hangout for us then-junior high kids, and the police and other tenants of the shopping center weren't too thrilled about it as I remember. I think it was only open for a few months and then closed...maybe 1972 or 1973? It was about in the middle of the shopping strip." 

Mac's Jewelry:  7124.d (1955)

Marie B's Restaurant:  8120. 

Mautz Paint and Wallpaper:  see Holly House Interiors.

Medical Supply:  8110.  (2007-)

Metropolitan Credit Co. (1966).  The ad featured a cartoon man named Redi Kash.

Midwest Shoe Rebuilders.  September 1953.

Milo Discount Beauty Supply (1976)
 

Namaste Plaza (Indian Food Mart/Videos):  8134.  (2007-)

New York Bagel Bakery (1966-1975)

Northside Bakeries and Deli.  "Now Open" February 19, 1953. 

Obe's Salon of Beauty:  3006 Texas.  (1959)

Panda Chinese Buffet:  8028.  (2007-)

PayLess Shoe Store:  Grand Opening November 1968.  Their first location was at 7815 Portland.  Shoes were advertised at as little as $1.88 a pair.

Penny Super Market:  8000.  (1952-75)  This was one of the original stores in the shopping center, opening on November 29, 1951.   It relocated here from 6322 Minnetonka Blvd. (opened June 29, 1950) after a fire.  The store was owned by George Levine.  Irwin Rubenstein (d. March 16, 2011) was the manager. Egekvist Bakeries was inside.  "Be Penny Wise - Shop at Penny's and Economize."  The Dispatch reported that it was planned to be the largest super market in the Park, and the first to be completely air-conditioned.  It would have "Speedy" turntable checkout counters to speed up service and new, easy-gliding shopping carts.

Pizza Papa:  8120.  Open under new management, September 1970.  New Manager Bill Carpenter.

Polka Dot Dairy:  8140.  Became Tom Thumb convenience store under same ownership. 

Poolside Holiday Pools (1976)

Press TV  (1963-76).  July 1964:  new location in the Anderson Furniture Co.

Rainmaker Soft Water: 8134. (1955-60)

Resat's Beauty Salon:  8038.  (1958-60)

Road Buddys:  8116-8120.  (66-67)  Now open June 1966.   Henry Sabes.  Ribs, chicken, steaks, and shrimp to go. 

Russian Gallery:  8020.  This restaurant came in the late '70s and serves the Russian emigrant population that settled in the Aquila area in the '90s.

Sample Hut:  (1964-65)  Grand Opening, August 1, 1964.

Scherider & Sewall Insurance.  (1960)
 

Schoell and Madson Civil Engineers & Surveyors:  8134 (1958)

Seven Hills of Rome Beauty Salon:  3006 Texas.  (1966)  New management, May 1966.

Standard Plumbing and Appliance:  (1955-58)

Suburban Dry Cleaning:  8006.  (1952-71)  This was one of the original stores in the shopping center and was owned by Don Johnson.  "Skill and care beyond compare" was their slogan.  It probably opened at the beginning of January 1952. 

Suburban Maytag Home Appliance Center:  8114.  Opened in June 1969. 

Swenson's Furniture: 8100.  (1953-1960)  This large store was part of the third stage of construction of the center.  The first ads appear in the Dispatch in April 1953.

Texa-Tonka Appliances (1955)

Texa-Tonka Beauty Salon:  8038.  (1966)

Texa-Tonka Dairy Store:  8140.  (1959-64)  See Polka Dot Dairy and Tom Thumb

Texa-Tonka Jewelers:  8108.  (1963-66)

Texa-Tonka Shoe Repair (1955)

Texa-Tonka TV and Appliance:  8108  (1955-58)  "If it plugs in, we can fix it"

Texa-Tonka Variety Store:  8014.  (1953-56)  Grand opening on August 27-29, 1953.  Owned by Mike Zoss and managed by mrs. Lillian Egge. 

Texa-Tonka Wash 'n Dry:  3004 Texas.  (1959)

Tonka Liquor:  8114.  (1953-60)  Grand Opening April 24-25, 1953.  This store, owned by the Harold Kaplan family, moved to its own building west of the shopping center (8242 Minnetonka) in 1963. 

Theland's Paints

Tom Thumb convenience store:  8140.  (1970)  Formerly Polka Dot Dairy Store, same owner.

Town and Country Dress Shop/Apparel:  8114.  (1958-64)  Going out of business, December 1964.

Ulli and I (1988).  Ladies clothing store; one of the owners was named Ursula.

Uptown Modes  (1955).  Other stores were Campus Modes at 1314 SE 4th St. and 736 East Lake Street

Wearhouse (1976)

Yes Mart Convenience Store:  8140.  (2007-2011).  This store burned to the ground in 2011 and is being rebuilt.

Mike Zoss Drugs:  8008.  (1952-1966)  This was one of the two original stores in the shopping center (along with Penny Super Market), opening on November 29, 1951.  Myron "Mike" Zoss had run a drug store at a previous site in the Park.  The store featured a 23-stool ice cream fountain.  The Coen Brothers used to hang out here after school in the '60s, and had such fond memories of it that they named their production company after Mike. 



Undated but early photo of Texa-Tonka on a busy night, courtesy of Jeffrey Fine via Jeff Norman



Above and below:  Tax Assessor photos, 1960








1966









 

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.