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The West Twins Theater and West Inn Tea Shop opened in 1939 on the corner of Robert Street and Hurley Street in West St. Paul, heralded as the finest theater west of Chicago.
In its heyday, the fancy building hosted Hollywood premieres and black-tie events, with limos pulling up.
- Building: Hollywood producer William R. Frank built the $150,000, 1,200-seat theater with a rotating, lighted dome sign on top and an opulent lobby including fountains and air conditioning. In addition to the theater, the building included a tea shop with balcony, two retail stores, six offices, and a beauty shop.
- Opening: The opening night festivities included remarks from Mayor Rocco Verderosa, songs and dancing, and a screening of the movie Dramatic School. Dozens of pairs of identical twins, dressed in tuxes and formal gowns, served as ushers for the night.
- Ticket price: When it opened, admission was 25 cents for adults and 10 cents for kids.
- Name: According to late historian Lois Glewwe, the West Twins name came from the dual functions of theater and dining.
Frank was apparently virulently anti-smoking and tried to prohibit smoking in his theater. “But, of course, nobody in the ’40s would stand for it,” said Glewwe in a 1988 Pioneer Press story.
A Theater’s Decline
The Hollywood glitz and glamour came to a stumbling end as the building went through multiple renovations and slowly deteriorated.
- Memories: Cartoonist Steve Sack recalled the chaos of children watching movies unsupervised in the theater.
- Sold: After owner Frank died in 1960, South St. Paul physician Dr. James Reid bought the theater in 1961.
- Changes: The theater closed in 1967 and the building changed hands multiple times. The restaurant went through many iterations, including the Red Door Tavern, Laura’s West Twins, and Charlie’s. The theater portion of the building at various points housed offices, warehouse space, an employment agency, and racquetball courts.
- Coming down: The distinctive revolving tower on top of the theater came down in 1988 due to a leaking roof.
- Demolition: The Dakota County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA; today known as the Community Development Agency [CDA]) ultimately purchased and demolished the building in the 1990s as part of a long and slow effort to revitalize what was once West St. Paul’s downtown area.
Today: Suite Living Senior Care
Today the location is home to Suite Living Senior Care, an assisted living and memory care facility built in 2021.
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(Photo credit: Dakota County Historical Society).
