The exterior of the former Woolworth Department Store building at Seventh Place and Minnesota Street in downtown St. Paul photographed on Tuesday, April 26, 2016, abandoned since 1993 is being extensively remodeled into an office building. (Pioneer Press: John Autey)

The F.W. Woolworth window plating above the Minnesota Street entrance at the former Woolworth Department Store building at Seventh Place and Minnesota Street in downtown St. Paul on Tuesday, April 26, 2016. (Pioneer Press: John Autey)

The former Woolworth's Department Store building at Seventh Avenue and Minnesota Street in downtown St. Paul, in a photo, circa the late 1950's. A planned $10 million to $20 million renovation of the former department store, which was shuttered in 1993, will breathe new life into a near-windowless vacant building from the 1950s. Photo courtesy of HFS Properties.

HFS Properties plans to invest $10 million to $20 million into renovating the long-vacant Woolworth's department store on Minnesota Street in downtown St. Paul into an office building. The near-windowless structure will have new bay windows and a rooftop patio, according to preliminary concept drawings. (Renderings by HDR)

The long-inoperable escalator at the former Woolworth Department Store building at Seventh Place and Minnesota Street in downtown St. Paul on Tuesday, April 26, 2016. (Pioneer Press: John Autey)



HFS Properties plans to invest $10 million to $20 million into renovating the long-vacant Woolworth's department store on Minnesota Street in downtown St. Paul into an office building into a near-windowless structure will have new bay windows and a rooftop patio, according to preliminary concept drawings. (Renderings by HDR)

The lunch counter at the former Woolworth Department Store building at Seventh Place and Minnesota Street in downtown St. Paul photographed on Tuesday, April 26, 2016. (Pioneer Press: John Autey)

Old 'Magic Chef' stove and ovens in the third floor kitchen at the former Woolworth Department Store building at Seventh Place and Minnesota Street in downtown St. Paul on Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Abandoned since 1993, the building is being extensively remodeled into an office building. (Pioneer Press: John Autey)

A children's clothes sizing chart still hangs on the wall at the former Woolworth Department Store building at Seventh Place and Minnesota Street in downtown St. Paul on Tuesday, April 26, 2016. (Pioneer Press: John Autey)

The main entrance at the former Woolworth Department Store building at Seventh Place and Minnesota Street in downtown St. Paul on Tuesday, April 26, 2016. (Pioneer Press: John Autey)



HFS Properties plans to invest $10 million to $20 million into renovating the long-vacant Woolworth's department store on Minnesota Street in downtown St. Paul into an office building. (Renderings by HDR)

St. Paul’s long-shuttered Woolworth’s will serve popcorn and root beer from its original lunch counter one last time.

A real estate firm is inviting the public to an open house at the old Woolworth Building in downtown St. Paul — one last peek before a top-to-bottom renovation converts the three-level structure into office space. The lunch counter, out of service since the discount retailer closed the location 20 years ago, will likely be relocated into a break room within the building.

“We really want to reuse many of the features that are left, and the lunch counter is one of them,” said Pat Wolf, president and owner of Commercial Real Estate Services Inc. “I feel some responsibility that we do it right, and that we allow people to share their stories. I’m hoping to videotape some comments at the open house, so we can keep those memories alive.”

The company will renovate the 48,000-square-foot building for future office tenants, though none has been publicly identified. The work, which will start in the next six months, will take approximately 12 months.

The open house, at 428 Minnesota St., will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Aug. 24 and from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Aug. 25.