Varsity Theater's bathroom is the place to … go

If you've got to go, this is the place to go in America.

An online vote has selected the bathroom at the Varsity Theater in Dinkytown as the nation's best.

A special presentation was made Tuesday morning at the SE. 4th Street theater. The Minneapolis restroom beat out nine others from around the country in polling conducted by Cintas, a major supplier of products for public restroom facilities.

"The restroom is visually stunning, from the cool masonry to the bright plants to the distinctive hand wash area," said John Engel, senior marketing manager at Cintas. "Once inside, you completely forget you're in a restroom. In fact, heading to the men's stalls feels like an old European castle."

Shayna Melgaard, Varsity's manager, said part of the bathroom's appeal is that "you can see the stage from the restroom. You can hear the music." You can even be served drinks.

Staying tuned into the entertainment from afar offers patrons "a little sanctuary from the action and the rest of what's going on. You can relieve yourself in more ways than one."

The restroom was designed by Jason McLean, the theater's owner and completed in April 2011.

McLean "obviously put a lot of time and energy into the design, and voters recognized that," Engel said.

For more information, www.bestrestroom.com.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482