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Published October 24, 2009

Editorial: Citizen input is needed on downtown chat

By West Central Tribune, West Central Tribune

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Ron C.
Willmar, MN     10/31/2009 3:42 PM

Yep, the old theater on 5th street and the new theater on 4th street.

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kathy a.
10/31/2009 9:37 AM

It has been fun, Carie. I do remember that we never called it the old "theatre" or new 'Theatre" it was the old "show" and the new "show" :)

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Carie L.
Granite Falls, MN     10/30/2009 9:27 PM

I'm sorry I didn't come here sooner - what a wonderful trip down memory lane! Although, I think many of you "outdate" me in Willmar { ;-) } and some of those business were gone by the time I moved to town. But, I remember most of the retail stores mentioned downtown... and the old theater only operated for a few years after our family moved to Willmar. Interesting to see someone mention S&L - that store is the reason we moved to town... my father was the store manager for a time. I have lots of fun memories of sliding down the loading chutes into the basement in cardboard boxes! Then, when S&L closed, he moved on to manage Bostwicks - downtown, and eventually both stores in the mall, as well.

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kathy a.
10/30/2009 10:20 AM

I was at Rice Park alot too, back then it was a cool place to be . We could SAFELY ride our bikes there and there was always someone there to do stuff with.

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kathy a.
10/30/2009 9:58 AM

And although I never went there, ALL the guys hung out at Art's Pool Hall on Benson Ave. owned by Art Dalien (sp )

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kathy a.
10/30/2009 9:51 AM

Kevin, Maybe we learned about sharing in a former life :)

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Doug M.
Willmar, MN     10/30/2009 7:50 AM

Diane T, Not meaning to "beat a dead horse" but, there was a small cafe for a short time in the early 70's called the "Snack Bar" which was on the west side of Carlson Drug on Benson Ave. I'm not confusing it with Frieda's. Also on Benson Ave west of The Snack Bar was Wardrobe Cleaners and alittle farther down was the Liberty Cafe which was owned by Woody Knott. Yes, it is fun to reminisce isn't it. Oh, and I've been around since '52, and am a product of the "old Jr High".

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kathy a.
10/29/2009 7:58 PM

Absolutely, Rick. And had Hattie Rosentrater for Gym as did about 5 generations before and after me. I lived at 4th St. W. and Kandiyohi, about a block from Rice Park.

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kathy a.
10/29/2009 5:54 PM

Diane....and Mrs. Cary scared the heck out of all of us. We wouldn't have dar ed to be sassy at the theatre or she'd give you heck! Gandrud's Ice cream shop was on 5th and Benson (not Becker). And there was a Puritan Cafe(owned by Virgil Olson) on Litchfield Ave across from Elmquists Jewelry. Nostalgia..what fun!

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steve p.
10/29/2009 5:39 PM

Diane T, you should write down all you can remember, and give it to the county historical society. I'm serious. Oral histories are dying every day. You seem to have a unique ability to visualize and remember locations and names. We should never assume that the historical society knows everything. They'd be delighted to here from you.

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