This page covers two important venues in the same building in Mendota:

• The Hollywood Inn
• Mitch’s of Mendota

THE HOLLYWOOD INN

Many thanks to Jeff Neuberger for his contributions to this section!

The Hollywood Inn was a nightclub and gambling casino located at the far end of the Mendota Bridge. It opened in about 1928, during Prohibition.

“Dapper Danny” Hogan was one of the original owners, and rumor has it that his car bomb death had links to his not paying Harry Sawyer his cut from the Hollywood Inn.

After Hogan’s explosive end, the Inn was run by Fred C. Ulrich, his brother William “Curly” Ulrich, a former boxer, and John “Red” Clare.

A search through the Minneapolis papers shows that in September 1928, the Governor and the Attorney General had a conference on a  report of gambling at the Hollywood Inn, but no reports were released as to the outcome of the conference.

An early raid took place by the Dakota County Sheriff on September 21, 1932, where three roulette wheels, two blackjack tables, and several poker tables were found in the basement.  “Patrons of the dining room danced on during the raid and were not molested.”  However, the establishment was padlocked the next day.  Proprietor Joe Clare was arrested for maintaining and operating a gambling device, as was Fred Ulrich when he surrendered on the 24th.  Joe Casey and William Buckman also gave up the ghost on the 24th, and were charged with operating a gambling device.  In October 1932 they were assessed $200 fines for each charge.

Another raid ensued on June 27, 1935, when a truckload of gaming devices was seized from the place.  Initially arrested were Frank R. Sullivan and George McKinley, the operators of the Inn.  Apparently a judge had allowed the place to reopen under new management.  Later it came to light that Fred Ulrich and Joe Clare were also caught at the raid, in their capacity as owners of the property.  Sullivan and Ulrich were each fined $200 and given suspended 30 day sentences. 

 

There was another Hollywood Inn in St Louis Park.

 

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MITCH’S OF MENDOTA

Much of the information about Mitch’s comes from an article by Bob Murphy in the Minneapolis Star, dated October 24, 1950.

Mitch’s opened in 1939 as a 3.2 beer tavern (a/k/a Mitch’s Cafe) owned by Herman Mitch. Set-ups were also bootlegged from the kitchen. Mitch had either owned or managed the Silver Strip on University Ave. in St. Paul and had featured William “Red” Dougherty on the piano there. When he bought Mitch’s in Mendota he brought Red with him, and Red’s was the first Dixieland band of its kind in the area. Other members of the band were Don Thompson on trombone, Harry Blons on reeds, Ed Tolck on drums, and singer Norma Terry.

Every Sunday Red’s group played for an hour from Mitch’s over the radio with Leigh Kamman as emcee. The group also performed over the air for fifteen minutes each evening. Mitch’s was also a spot for after-hours jam sessions, and at times would host Hoagy Carmichael, Jack Teagarden, members of Red Nichols’ and Woody Herman’s bands, Ray McKinley, Gene Krupa, and others.

 

World War II broke up the band, however.   In fact, in a 1960 article, Leigh Kamman said that  the War temporarily closed the music business in this part of the country.

Mitch leased out the place and in about 1943, he was said to have received a loan from gangster Tommy Banks to start the Casablanca night club at 408 Hennepin Ave. He took Red Dougherty with him as well.

In 1948, Bob Mitch, Herman’s son, took over Mitch’s.  The house act was Harry Blons and his Mendota Buzzards.  Other members included Bob Gruenfelder on trumpet, Hal Runyon on trombone, Harry Norling on bass, Lew Holtman on piano, and Warren Theus on drums.  “Once again live jazz began to flourish.”

 

An ad in the September 1949 issue of the St. Paul Musician (organ of the St. Paul Musicians’ Union) named the members of Mitch’s Dixie Land Band as:

• Harry Yablonsky
• Bob Gruenfelder
• Dick Pendleton
• Lyle Smith
• Willie Sutton
• Jerry Mayeron

Sunday night Dixieland sessions resumed at Mitch’s in October 1949.

In February 1950, a Sunday afternoon Dixieland radio show called “Dixieland Caravan” made its debut on radio station WMIN, hosted by Leigh Kamman.  Featured were music by Harry Blons’ band, and songs by Patty McGovern (Kamman’s wife) and guests.  (Minneapolis Tribune, February 3, 1950)

 

 

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THE BULLDOZER TAKES MITCH’S

On November 1, 1950, the old Hollywood Inn/Mitch’s building was closed for good and the frame building was demolished to make way for a highway cloverleaf for Highway 110.  A farewell Halloween party was attended by about 500 people, reported the Minnesota Daily on November 2.

The photo below is identified as Mitch’s by MHS, but there are two buildings there, so I couldn’t tell you which was Mitch…  The Minnesota Daily article called it a “beat-up, white frame roadhouse, so I’m guessing it’s the one on the right.