Facebook/Monticello MN History

DINO'S OTHER WORLD IN MONTICELLO

I don't know what we were talking about that made me go back in time to pizza, monsters, and birthday parties, but I had a flashback this morning of a birthday party at Dino's Other World.  How old was I?...maybe 10? But I remember having a party there, and I remembered seeing Frankenstein, Mummies, Ghosts, and I'll never forget Dracula...He came right up to me and would follow me around...stare at me..(Vampires freak me out).

Monticello MN History/Pinterest
Monticello MN History/Pinterest
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The picture above is Dino's, but it was a building that served as a mansion, mission, nursing home, ceramics plant, and a temple. I remembered it was a castle like setting, and I enjoyed the pizza, the scares, the parties and the fun.

Monticelllo.com/Pinterest
Monticelllo.com/Pinterest
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Dino's Other World was opened in the year 1977 by Floyd and Judy Kruse, who owned the DIno's Pizza chain in the Twin Cities, but were looking to do something different. For 14 years, Judy had dreamed of opening a haunted restaurant. The lower level featured a lounge and dining area set in a Victorian era setting.

The third floor was set up as a dining room for private parties and banquets.

The second floor is where all the magic happened. Five different dining rooms offered five different, chilling experiences. People could order pizza, or food off of the downstairs menu, while monsters and creatures of the night wander throughout the facility.  The monsters were actually played by area teenagers, who thought they probably had the coolest part time job ever!

All the fun came to an end on the evening of January 16th, 1981 when fire raced through the building. It took three fire departments in Monticello, Big Lake, and Buffalo. No one was hurt, but it left the building in ruins and caused about $500,000 in damages. It was very unfortunate, as the Kruse's did not have insurance on the building at the time.  They marched on and opened up Dino's Deli, which is where Cornerstone Cafe is now.

The site of Dino's Other World, sat empty for many years, and then tanks were put in, in the year 1999, and is today Monticello's Waste Water facility.

( Information from SCTIMES Feb. 15th 2015)

 

KSTP Channel 5/Facebook

MORE HISTORY OF DINO'S OTHER WORLD

I found this link about Dino's in Monticello from Monticello MN History. Click here to learn more, and see some great pictures and videos of Dino's Other World. If you have pictures or videos of you enjoying Dino's, send them and we'll do a story with your photos and videos. Send details to kelly@mix949.com.

 

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