Auburn’s Crescent Beach may not reopen after death of owner

Diana Rubito, left, plays with her son, Bryce, in the afternoon sun in May 2020 at Crescent Beach on Taylor Pond, where they had the beach nearly all to themselves. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal file

AUBURN — The popular Crescent Beach on Taylor Pond will not open this summer after the longtime owner passed away over the winter, according to his family.

The beach off Chicoine Avenue has been owned since 1961 by Linwood and Deanna Andrews. Linwood Andrews passed away in December and there had been no plan in place to keep the beach open.

The news was confirmed on Wednesday by the Andrews’ daughter, Lynn, who reflected upon her years of growing up as part of a beach family.

“Dad and mom ran this beach for 63 years and had a great opportunity to be private business owners,” she said. “They worked their butts off, saved every dollar and reinvested in the business. … They wasted not and wanted not as much as they could. And because Mom and Dad lived their lives that way, it made it possible for people to come to the beach at a lower price point, and it really catered to the family as time went on.”

The Andrews married in 1961. Around the same time, they bought the stretch of lakefront property and dubbed it Crescent Beach. They also bought a home near the beach and lived there.

For decades, the beach has been one of very few spots in the Twin Cities area where families could spend an afternoon swimming. Kids who lived in the neighborhood were given discounts on season passes to use the beach.

Diana Rubito, left, plays with her son, Bryce, in the afternoon sun in May 2020 at Crescent Beach on Taylor Pond, where they had the beach nearly all to themselves. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal file

“Spent almost every day there,” said Debbie Ridley Toth of Auburn. “There was also a bonfire for the neighborhood at the end of the year. Best fries ever, and loved the jukebox. … Throwing people off the float was a rite of passage. They also sold Christmas trees at Christmas, and I remember going down to get my first independent tree and Mr. Andrews just said ‘What do you give me for it?’ So I got a tree for five bucks. Great people. Sad to see it close.”

Beth McInnis frequented Crescent Bach in the 1980s and ’90s. In more recent years, she brought her kids there. For the kids, it was beach time. For McInnis, it was a dunk into pure nostalgia.

“I remember in my teen years this place was busy — no place to park,” McInnis said. “Kids screaming in joy, the smell of fried dough and fries filled the air.”

The Andrews, she said, “were always great people. They knew my grandparents, parents, myself and children, and always remembered us year after year. It was always a good time, putting money in the juke box, playing on the pinball machines until your order was ready. … At one time you could even rent a pedal boat if you got there early enough. Very sad to see it close. However, as the saying goes, all good things come to an end.”

On social media Wednesday, several beach-goers were speculating about the possibility of the beach being run by children of the Andrews couple. However one person close to the family said the property will likely be sold.

“It’s really too bad because it’s a great beach to bring little ones because of the shallow water,” said Melissa Long of Auburn. “They had a good snack shack and a great area for basically just adults on the right. You would have to go up and down the concrete wall but it was always a good laugh.”

“Very sad,” said Shannon Wilson of Auburn. “Great beach. Loved going there for the food, music and my son loved that he could walk for what seemed like miles without the water going over his head. Very nice people. Sorry for his passing. Sad to see this legacy end.”