WOODDALE/HIGHWAY 100 BUILDINGS

The 1950s was a time of tremendous growth in St. Louis Park, and just as houses were being built at an unprecedented rate, commercial buildings were also at a premium.  Places that had been undesirable vacant land now became prime building sites. Some of these new buildings, particularly on Wayzata Blvd., are still in service today. 

Gone now, there was another strip of businesses on the east side of Highway 100 between Excelsior Blvd. and 36th Street.  For some reason, the street was called Highway 100 at some times and Wooddale at others.  The location is approximately on the present-day Park Center Blvd.  The strip was not identified by any particular name.  Here are some of the businesses along that long gone stretch of road.  This list travels from north to south.

3799:  In 1957, it was home for a house trailer for the watchman at the Beltline Pay Dump, which was still a going concern.  In 1960, it was a Go Cart Track run by Bill McNeese, Fun Spots, Inc.

3815:  From 1963-67, this was Park Golf Center/Park Putt Driving Range, run by James W. Anderson.

3877:  This was the Dairy-Mor Drive In, run by and probably built by E.O. "Bud" Rodberg in about 1953. "Home of Bud's Big Boy Burgers."  Rodberg had at least one other drive-in in St. Louis Park, next to the Dump on Excelsior Blvd.  The place lasted until at least 1964.

3881:  This was an office building built in 1950 by Anton and Esther Yngve, who ran their law office from here.  They had opened their shop in 1942 in the Park Theater Building.  They left the building in 1966 and rented it out until it was demolished in 1983. One of the tenants was the Park Detective Agency.

3887:  This building was built in 1952 as a warehouse for the Minneapolis Iron Store at a cost of $18,000.  From 1960 to 1966 it was the home of the General Trading Co.  From 1967-68 it was the first St. Louis Park home of Koval Appliances.  After a year they moved to their present address on Excelsior Blvd.  From 1968-70 it was occupied by Bill Carlson Electric Co. At that time, or perhaps the whole time, it was owned by Frank Theros, who owned the King's Inn. (These buildings were just north of the King's Inn.)  The building was demolished in 1984.

3891:  This building was built by Ohme Construction on land owned by Nick Phillips, who owned Lilac Way.  It was built for $27,000 and opened on March 15, 1956.  It served as a U.S. Post Office until about 1969, when other tenants moved in.  It was demolished in 1984.

3895:  Driving Range: In 1955, Pat Sawyers received a one-year permit to operate a driving range.  In October 1955, the City Council approved the placing of a Post Office where the driving range was. The Post Office apparently moved out by 1969; tenants included Sweda International cash registers. The building was demolished in June 1984.

3901 was the King's Inn, originally known as the Lilac Lanes Cafe, built in 1941.  It was demolished in 1988.  The address is sometimes attributed to Lilac Lanes Bowling Alley as well.

Although not a part of Lilac Way, these buildings were all demolished together to make room for redevelopment, and eventually part of the Park Village project.  These buildings may have been easy to forget, probably made of concrete block, but they were part of the landscape for thirty years or so. 









 

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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.