Nov 5, 2006 11:15 pm US/Central
Finding Minnesota: Plunder Treasure City's Booty
by Bill Hudson
Royalton, Minn. (WCCO) ―
Roadside attractions are a popular stop for summer tourists. And perhaps none is better known than that "big red pirate" in Royalton.
Sandie Murray suggested that our next stop on
Finding Minnesota be a treasure hunt to discover "Treasure City" on U.S. Route 10, 90 miles northwest of the Twin Cities -- calling it a place for good, friendly people and an interesting shop.
We found it nothing short of overwhelming!
Your first clue that something special is hidden in this tiny central Minnesota town is the red billboard along the road. It beckons motorists to wheel on in, claiming there's "something for everyone."
A ringing of the cowbell hung above the door signals that you've entered this special place. Royalton's "Treasure City" delivers on its promise. It's been a roadside mainstay with Minnesota tourists for the past 44 years.
Bob Janski bought the business in 1977 from the Michigan Company that had opened a chain of "Treasure City" shops across the Midwest. In 1962, when asked for the customer's initial reaction upon entering, Janski said, "they'll walk in -- they've never been here before -- and stand by the door and say, 'oh my goodness'."
Ever since this "king of kitsch" opened for business, tourists have been dropping in. And Florence Ziwicki has been found at the till. Back when Florence started, it was mostly shells, rocks and moccasins -- the typical tourist fare.
"Now it's a little bit of everything," Florence said with a laugh. "People keep coming back just to see if I'm still around."
Today, owner Bob Janski has Treasure City stuffed to the gills with every gizmo and gadget imaginable -- from T-shirts and shot glasses, to wind chimes and the whimsical.
Janski is quick to point out the most popular item with shoppers this past season: "We got a cow sprinkler -- it just sits in the ditch, the tail goes like this, waters the grass." Along with the lawn ornaments, there are enough knick-knacks on the shelves to stretch from coast to coast.
Bob says 80 percent of his business comes from vacationing Twin Cities families. In the summer months, 17,000 people a day pass by on their way up north
To the casual shopper, this place is nothing short of souvenir overload with all the usual items. There are the shells, the rocks and birdhouses, to the more unusual like bread dough in a bottle, which only needs the bottle of beer.
Then, there's the really bizarre item: an alligator jaw large enough to swallow Jonah ... or Paris Hilton's driver's license.
But the true beauty of the shop won't cost you a dime. Tourists often stop for the free bag of ice, cup of water or coffee -- a sort of Minnesota Wall Drug!
Bob said that "people if you ask where Royalton is. They don't know, but they do know where Treasure City is!"
And what better definition could you find, of a true "Minnesota Icon."
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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