Nostalgic Tales From St. Cloud’s Favorite Hangouts

Bars, music venues, hangouts and sometime restaurants.  These were places many St. Cloud area residents spent time at after work, or on weekends.  St. Cloud area historians and long time residents Mark Bragelman and Jim Grabinski joined me on WJON to reflect on some of these establishments.  Bragelman says many of the patrons of these joints worked hard and were looking for a place to go after work.

Commodore Club:

The Commodore was located on the east side of Sartell on what was Highway 10.  The Commodore was on the corner of 1st Street and 1st Avenue Northeast in Sartell.  This establishment was located across from the Paper Mill. The Commodore opened in 1939 and stayed open until 1980.  It changed ownership 5 times and survived a fire in 1949.  Grabinski says it was one of the more classy spots in the beginning.  Bragelman says the building was concrete.  He says in 1977 the club brought in exotic dancers from the Twin Cities which led to complaints from the City.  This building was torn down for the St. Regis Paper Mill expansion in 1980.

Sartell Legion Club:

Grabinski says this establishment began as the Red Horse Bar.  Bragelman says in the 1960s and 1970s the center of Sartell was east of the river.  He says for many soldiers bars like the legion and Commodore were their last stop before going to Camp Ripley.

The V-Bar:

The V-Bar was right next door to the Sartell American Legion on the east side of the Mississippi River.  Grabinski says Don Gilman owned the V-Bar until 1980 when it burned down.  The bar was previously known as the Stork Club.  Grabinski says there were storks painted on the building.  The name of the bar changed from the Stork Club to the V-Bar to honor the World War II veterans.

Perry's Bar:

It was located across the street from the American Legion in Sartell.    Perry's stayed open until the St. Regis Paper Mill expansion in 1980.  Grabinski recalls a swing bridge across the Mississippi that was used for logging but many people crossed the bridge to get to Perry's Bar.

Arrow Inn (The Bucket):

Grabinski says the Arrow Inn became known as the "Bucket" or "Bloody Bucket" because the frequency of fights.  It was located on the St. Cloud side of the bridge separating Sauk Rapids and St. Cloud.  Bragelman says it was in the township and not in the St. Cloud or Sauk Rapids city limits.  The Bucket stayed open in the 1950s and continued into the 1970s.

Club Mesa:

Was located in Sauk Rapids next to Golden Spike Speedway.  Bragelman recalls it looking like a barn-type building.  He says patrons could buy pitchers of beer and the wait staff kept it full all night.  Bragelman and Grabinski says it was a small venue that typically grew a big crowd.  He says Club Mesa was also known as the Golden Spike Club.  Grabinski says Dick Crackelberg and Bob Atherton owned Club Mesa and Dick and the Kingsman played there a lot.  In 1966 Carl Perkins performed at Club Mesa.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Mark Bragelman and Jim Grabinski, click below.