NEAR HUGO, Minn. -- A historic Minnesota ballroom could soon host its last dance.
The Withrow Ballroom & Event Center will hold its last event this Saturday before closing its doors. The property will be auctioned off in November.
"I'm going to miss all these people. I've been here a long time," said Paulette Tingley, who has worked at Withrow Ballroom since 2010. "It's the same people. So you get to know them over the years."
In 1928, Ben and Anna Zahler built the ballroom--considered the oldest in the state. It closed for about a year before Paul Bergmann reopened it in 2009. The center hosts dances, weddings, business conferences and other events. Manager Pam Berry said the owner decided it was time to move on to other opportunities.
"I've been coming here since they opened again but I used to come here before they closed it," said Shirley Donahue. Donahue met her boyfriend, Ray Plemon, at the ballroom about a year ago.
"All these people are all friends," she said.
Thursday, the ballroom was packed for the last senior dance, with music from Top Notchmen. The ballroom hosts the dance every Thursday from 1-4 p.m.
"We just don't have enough of these places. We're running out of dancing places. Especially with good floor and a good atmosphere, which you got here," said Chester Gapinski.
His wife, Janice Gapinski, added, "I think that the younger generation is really missing some happy, good times by not dancing to the old-time music."
Saturday, the Rockin' Hollywoods will play from 8 p.m. to midnight for the ballroom's last event. According to Berry, the event is sold out.
According to Jeffrey Hines, auctioneer/broker, everything will be auctioned off as one bid--meaning buyers will not be bidding on individual items.
Hines said there is always a possibility the person who buys the property will keep it as the Withrow Ballroom.
Open houses are scheduled for Oct. 29, Nov. 5 and Nov. 11. A live and online auction will happen Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. You can find out more information here.