They called it the Majestic Ballroom in its day.
Located at 9165 West Point Douglas Road in Cottage Grove, the Majestic Ballroom opened in November 1973, its first discernible Bulletin mention coming on December 6, 1973, in a box ad.
Opened by Don and Gen Meissner in November 1973, the Majestic Ballroom was home to many memories over the years. The Meissners met at the Bel Rae Ballroom in Mounds View where Don was bartending and Gen was the coat check girl. They fell in love with each other and dancing so they built the Majestic. Dancing was how one met at the time, with the boys asking the girls to dance. The Meissner’s later lived in New Brighton. They would stay overnight in the back bedroom, Friday through Sunday at the Majestic, selling the property to an auction place in 1999 as they reached their mid 70s. By 2004 or 2005, the building was vacant. From there nature took over, with trees on the roof and graffiti inside as of 2026.
Last month, the Cottage Grove Economic Development Authority declared it 'structurally substandard,' clearing the way for demolition, which took place Sept. 1. Long-term city planning call for the Majestic Ballroom property and surrounding area to become part of Innovation Village.
Becky Donahe, granddaughter of Don and Gen Meissner, was just months old when the Majestic Ballroom first opened.
"They opened the doors in November 1973," she said. Donahe grew up in nearby apartments and would visit the Ballroom on bike or with roller skates. Amy remembers having overnight birthday partys at the Ballroom where we all slept on sleeping bags on the stage! Among the many ballroom features was a $70,000 wood floating dance floor made with two-inch maple wood strips, as well as red cedar on the front outside and the ticket room.
Don Meissner took pride in the floor she said.
"Us three girls would come with our mom on Wednesdays to clean with Grandma and Grandpa," Donahe said as the Ballroom came down. "Me and my sisters were little and would ride our bikes or roller skate around, and every time we'd cross the dance floor, Grandpa would mumble under his breath like 'girls you know...,' and Grandma's like, 'Oh, Don , just let them be,' but he took pride in that dance floor. Grandpa would polish the dance floor after every dance and would grumble when gum was stuck on the dance floor.”
In its first Bulletin ad from late 1973 the Majestic Ballroom advertised a full week of dancing, with reservations available by calling a 459 number. The ad went on to advertise “18 & Over Rock & Back to the Fifties” featuring Kiss of Rain from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4. On Wednesday, Dec. 5 meanwhile, Straight Up performed for a teenage night dance from 8 to 11 p.m. On Thursday, Dec. 6, 1973, the Ballroom featured a country western night with the Schorn Bros. from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. The ballroom also invited patrons to “Dance & Listen to Your Favorite Old Time Bands,” with Ralph Hutmaker performing from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, Dec. 7, followed by Joe Tomaszewski & his Polish Show Band from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 8. The ad closed by describing the Majestic Ballroom as located “1½ miles south of the stop lights, two blocks north of 3M Chemolite.”
Now demolished, the Ballroom held a lot of memories for Donahe and others, from polka dancing, to the White Sidewalls, Rockin Hollywoods, and Mexican food. At one time the ballroom hosted an annual polka festival.
Among historical guests were Donnie and Marie Osmond.
"Yep, we met Donnie and Marie Osmond there," Donahe said of the Ballroom.
Older residents made their way through Sept. 1, remembering the Ballroom in its grandeur.
When it closed in 1999 meanwhile, some of the items went elsewhere. As for chairs, old records indicate one possible place was the Grey Cloud Town Hall.
Tucked away in old Bulletin archives from March 17, 1999 is an article by Judy Spooner, indicating that the then town board was replacing old chairs, with the Majestic among the possible sources. Just closed as of 26 years ago, the chairs at the Majestic were up for sale. Then town treasurer Judy Laton had purchased a brown chair for $5, which got good reviews. Laton was instructed “to select the best 50 chairs at the Majestic,” replacing what were then fifty 40-year-old chairs. Board member Elisabeth McEathron expressed a preference at the time to wait on final action until town residents could vote the following night.
“We want to encourage people to come to meetings,” board member Dennis Hanna said at the time.
Such is the memory of the Grey Cloud Town Board meeting of March 1999.
As for the future, the area that until recently housed the Majestic Ballroom will become a part of Innovation Village, a long-term city plan for a mixed-use district south of Highway 61 that would include redevelopment alongside preservation. The nearby 100th Street/Innovation Road project is expected to open roughly 223 acres to development and redevelopment, with planned transportation and utility improvements as well.
For now, there are memories.