State grant supports renovation
and new programs at the Cro
Jake Spitzack
Staff Writer
With a fresh coat of paint inside, a mural on the exterior and several other planned upgrades, South St. Paul’s Croatian Hall, 445 2nd Ave. S., will soon be looking nice for years to come. Also in the works are new events celebrating and preserving Croatian heritage, such as food and language classes, and even a few expansions to the menu. All this is thanks to a $195,000 legacy cultural heritage grant that the “Cro” was awarded by the State of Minnesota in May and received in early October.
“We have to thank [state] Representative Rick Hansen for advocating for the Hall and bringing us to testify for the grant,” said longtime Croatian Hall president Tony Biljan, who noted that Hansen spearheaded the effort. “We were hit hard by COVID like a lot of other restaurants and bars and hope some of these upgrades will help us grow.”
Other improvements with the grant funding include a new HVAC system and windows, and upgrades to kitchen equipment and the security system. Work is expected to begin this year and must be complete by June 2026. Only one project will be tackled at a time so as not to interfere with the weddings, graduation parties, Christmas get-togethers and wide array of other events commonly hosted there. The Cro boasts a 150-seat event space with a stage, sound system, video projector, bar, and a private yard with a large patio.
Throughout the years, the Cro has welcomed a handful of political dignitaries including the president of Croatia in the mid ’90s. The current president of Croatia was supposed to stop by in July but logistics fell through with the State of Minnesota. The Cro has also hosted several national bowling tournaments for Croatian Halls and is hoping to get rolling with another in the coming years. Annually, it holds Sarma dinners (a combination of beef, pork and rice wrapped in sauerkraut leaves or fresh cabbage), and taco feeds and meat raffles supporting city and school programs in South St. Paul. It also supports an orchestra that plays Croatian music, and operates onsite charitable gambling that has netted about a half-million dollars in the past decade. Those funds have been used for things such as school sporting equipment, gifts for children during holidays, and televisions and a piano for a senior center.
Originally dubbed The Hrvatski Dom (Croatian Home) and now celebrating its 105th year, the Cro was built in 1919 to serve as a gathering place for the hundreds of people from Croatia and other Slavic countries who immigrated to the United States and found work in South St. Paul at the Union Stockyards and two giant meat-packing houses – Armour and Swift. Today, the Cro is open to all but still operates a private lodge for its 320 members. The lodge is outfitted with cultural items from Croatia and is one of many across the country. However, according to Biljan, the Cro is the last remaining lodge in Minnesota that still operates a hall. He and Tom Buchan, hall manager for 12 years, are always working to recruit new members to help keep the Cro’s legacy alive for decades to come. Hours are 2-11 p.m., Monday-Thursday; noon-1 a.m., Friday-Saturday; and noon-6 p.m., Sunday. For more information, call 651-451-1453 or visit croatianhall.org.
