Brief History & Mission
Dick Baker began the St. Paul Bridge center and held games in various locations including Stillwater, Hastings, 3M, Century College and more. He would drag the boards and bridge supplies, coffee pot, and cups. Soon he sought a permanent location, however, he needed financial support and found donors in Bob Lakken, Bob Steinfeld, Dean & Mary Ann Cook, Marlene Kasmirski-Stronge, and Linda Delzell. With this funding, he bought tables and chairs that are still used. He rented the space at English & Hwy 36, designed the layout: office, cloakroom, kitchen, bathrooms, and smoker (back in the days when smoking indoors was still allowed).
Dick did the directing, teaching, and preparing lunches and dinners with the help of volunteers. When Dick had bad times, he always said Bridge cured him. He died in 1996, but the club continued.
In the late 1990s the club incorporated and became a federally recognized 501(c)7 not-for-profit organization, with the new name Bridge Center of St. Paul and governed by a member elected Board of Directors.
Since the English Street location, the club has been on Frost Ave, near English, in the now demolished mall on 10th and 694 in Oakdale where Hy-Vee is, and now the current location behind Luther Auctions in North St Paul. We promote and offer Duplicate Bridge instruction, and pair & team games for all levels (9-10 games per week), and tournaments in a clean, welcoming and friendly club atmosphere in the East Metro area.