This is the story of the building at 400 Auditorium Street in St. Paul.

Never heard of Auditorium Street?  Michael Larkin of the Old St. Paul Facebook page reports that “Auditorium Street ran North/South from the old St. Paul Auditorium to the area where the old White Castle was on W Seventh. The street was wiped out in urban renewal.”

It was originally called Franklin Street.  Kevin Carlson posted this helpful map:

 

What little I could find out about the building isn’t much:

JOHNNY MAUER’S BAR

On May 1, 1962, it housed Johnny Mauer’s Bar and Bowling Alley, and suffered a devastating fire.

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THE SHERWOOD LOUNGE

The building was reconstructed inside the brick walls, and in 1963 it was the Sherwood Lounge, Donald Mauer, Proprietor.

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THE RED CARPET

In mid-1966 George Schaumburg opened The Red Carpet.  Schaumburg was involved in many establishments in the ‘Cities, including George’s in the Park, George’s in Fridley, the Office, and the Flamingo.

The Red Carpet was divided into the dining room and the Cock-a-Too Room.  Here’s what it says about the latter:

Where action and the “in” crowd meet.  Come and be part of the big sounds that originate six nights a week in the Cock-a-Too Room.  If you enjoy a dance, a fine cocktail, or swinging with the swingers . . . why not make yourself part of the scene!  Meet the lively ones where it’s refreshingly “different!”

Vicki and the Tornados started playing at the Red Carpet shortly after it opened in 1966. Vicki Victoria says, “The opening night act was “Mudcat” Grant—who knew he could sing!”  They performed there four nights a week for about one year.  The group was featured in a full-page ad for the establishment in the July 7-13, 1967, issue of See Saint Paul, a magazine telling visitors where to go and what to do (George Shearing was starring in the summer pops jubilee and was on the cover of the magazine).

 

Information and image provided, with thanks, by Vicki Victoria:  http://vickivictoriagilmer.com/

FLASH!  The band in the picture on the left is Denny and the Tornadoes!  Or the Toronadoes, depending on who’s writing the ads.  Here’s a closeup:

 

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THE HOSPITAL LOUNGE

In one of the sillier concepts I’ve read about, the Hospital Lounge out-themed every other club in town.  Will Jones said, “Its owner, promoter Bob Heine, apparently decided to face reality and supply the place with a theme in keeping with the over-all grimness of downtown St. Paul after dark.”  This fine institution opened for patients in January 1969.

Some features:

• The main entrance was labeled ADMITTING.
• The downstairs bar was called the PHARMACY.
• The toilets were labeled EMERGENCY.
• The downstairs dining area was called the RIB ROOM.
• Behind the bandstand a sign requested QUIET.
• The upstairs room “where young folk meet for group therapy to the background of rock music” was called the OPERATING ROOM.
• The waitresses were dressed in mini nurses’ uniforms.
• Surgical masks were handed out as favors.
• The medical symbols for male and female were on the restroom doors.
• “I had 1,000 thermometers to use as swizzle sticks, but somebody stole those,” said Heine.

Heine also pointed out that there were five hospitals in the area, so “we have a lot of real nurses coming in here.”

Jones noted that the downstairs crowd was listening to a Dixieland band, and suggested the room be renamed Intensive Geriatric Care.  His comments on the goings-on upstairs were pure Jones, and I will quote him at my own peril:

Upstairs in the Operating Room there was some experimentation with a derriere transplant.  A callipygian waitress named Shari wiggled out of her nurse uniform and into a go-go costume to frug along with Dennis Sundlie and the Toronadoes, thus auditioning for a promotion from the floor to the stage.  “She does something for my tired blood,” mused Heine.

 

Alas, the fun was over quickly.  On March 26, 1969, a four-alarm fire sent 14 rigs to the scene and 100 people were routed from the building.  The fire moved so fast that the musicians lost their instruments.  It apparently began in the basement, burned through the first floor and went up a staircase to the second floor.  There were no injuries and no need for a hospital.  Jean Day found a photo!