If These Walls Could Talk: Senior Center building has a storied past

May 27, 2023

Editor's note: This is part of a 15-story series titled "If These Walls Could Talk" completed by Pioneer reporters with help from the Beltrami County Historical Society for our 2023 Annual Report.

Some visitors to the Bemidji Senior Center have possibly been around long enough to know the history of what has taken place within its walls.

But for the average passerby, it might just seem like a regular old building from the 1970s as it is unlike the older-looking brick and stucco buildings lining the street. Other than its slightly unique, curved front exterior it doesn’t really stand out as a place with a storied past — but that isn’t the case.

Originally built in 1906, the building located at 216 Third St. NW in downtown Bemidji started out as the Brinkman Hotel and Theater.

After prohibition ended in 1933, the city purchased the building in 1934, remodeled it and turned it into a Municipal Liquor Dispensary, which ran successfully until it burned down on Jan. 4, 1945, resulting in one fatality and a significant loss on Third Street, according to the Pioneer’s report at the time.

The lot sat empty due to a post-wartime economy until a few years later when the city let bids come in to build a new building, which is the one still there today.

The Bemidji City Council meeting minutes on July 10, 1947, included a resolution asking for bids to construct a new municipal liquor store. Bids on heating and electrical work on the new liquor store were accepted on Aug. 9, 1949, and it began operations around 1950.

The Oct. 10, 1953, edition of the Bemidji Pioneer detailed that as Bemidji’s now only liquor store, it produced greater net income in September 1953 than the town’s two stores yielded the same month the previous year.

According to Linda Lemmer, who worked for the city in the liquor store business from 1967-79, the Third Street liquor store had both on- and off-sale liquor; the off-sale had a separate entrance in the curved section of the building, which is now the main entrance for the Senior Center.

The passage of a split liquor ordinance in 1971 forced the city to close the municipal operation and put the building up for sale.

In April 1972, Donavon Marchildon and his partner Frank Toonen purchased the building and remodeled it extensively. The new owners added 44 stools to the bar so that the place could seat about 200 people comfortably.

Wrought iron railing was added for a special effect and a true likeness of Paul Bunyan adorned the rear interior wall.

“For nearly 40 years, ‘the Munie,’ Bemidji's municipal liquor lounge served customers in the area,” a story in the Sept. 5, 1972, edition of the Pioneer reads. “The passage of a split liquor ordinance last year forced the city to close the operation and put the building up for sale. In April of this year (1972), the building was purchased, cleaned, remodeled, and re-decorated and on July 1 reopened as ‘Donavon’s.’ Since that time, it has already become a popular spot for area people for both meals and drinks.”

Donovan’s Bar and Lounge celebrated its grand opening on Sept. 6, 1972. By September 1975, advertisements were listed in the Bemidji Pioneer for the sale of the bar.

An article in the Sept. 25, 1976, edition of the Pioneer announced that Wilson’s Clothing store, owned by Bob and Jan Wilson, would be moving from 207 Third Street into the former Donovan’s location at 216 Third Street, which they had purchased earlier that year.

The article detailed that following extensive remodeling to both the exterior and interior of the building, the new store would offer over 8,000 square feet of display space, almost triple Wilson’s previous location.

There were 6,000 square feet on the main floor and 2,000 in the “College Shop” featured downstairs. There were 19 fitting rooms on the two floors.

“The store, which was started by S.S. Wilson in 1920 in Bemidji, features fashions from some of the nation's better retailers from New York, California and Dallas fashion markets,” the Pioneer article said.

In 1991, the Wilson Clothing store was purchased by the Bemidji Senior Center for $110,000 using individual donations, grants, fundraisers and a loan from First National Bank.

According to current Senior Center Manager Verna Lenker, the center incurred a heavy debt to buy the building with costs including the installation of an elevator, a sprinkler system, smoke alarms and air conditioners, as well as replacement of the roof at that time.

A total of 72 volunteers put in more than 7,000 labor hours to save the Senior Center approximately $90,000. The Neilson Foundation, Otter Tail Power, Wiebolt Electric and Peterson Sheet Metal helped with roofing and air conditioning projects.

Through the hard work of fundraising and individual donations, grants and charities, the Senior Center continues to reside in the storied building, providing activities and services for seniors in the Bemidji community and beyond.

Previous: Tecta America Commercial Roofing completes $210M incremental First Lien Term Loan and $20M Revolving Credit Facility Upsize Next: Demand for CI sheet rising in Dhaka and other cities

Send inquiry

Send