Granada Theater
4519 Gravois Avenue,
St. Louis,
MO
63116
4519 Gravois Avenue,
St. Louis,
MO
63116
6 people
favorited this theater
The Granada Theatre opened on October 1, 1927. It was a neighborhood theater located in the Bevo area of St. Louis. The theater was designed in the Spanish Baroque style and featured a beautiful overhanging balcony.
It originally seated 1,585 combined on the main level and balcony. Much of its decor was considered too ornate for just a neighborhood theater.
It was a flagship theater for the Arthur Brothers/St. Louis Amusement Co. Chain. It mostly ran first run movies until the demise of the Arthur Theatre Chain.
Located in a densely populated neighborhood, locals were faithful to the theater until it closed. Part of the roof and back wall over the stage gave way over night during a storm and the cost of repairs was too high so the theater was razed in December 1992 despite efforts to save it.
Contributed by
CharlesVanBibber, Norman Plant
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Recent comments (view all 37 comments)
Here is part of a December 1992 article from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
The scheduled coming feature attraction at the condemned Granada Theater building this week might be called “Coming Down.” That’s because Don Bellon, owner of Bellon Wrecking and Salvage Co., which has the contract to raze the long-vacant building at 4519 Gravois Avenue, said last week that demolition of the landmark could begin as early as this week. By mid-week, workers were removing the building’s ornate trim.
Bellon was issued a permit late last week to raze the theater building. He also has clearance from the air pollution control office of the city’s building division. That permit was needed because of asbestos in the building.
The building’s owner, Mark Wenner, a lawyer who lives in Ladue, is to appear today before City Judge Christopher Smith to report on the progress of razing the building, which was condemned in November 1991. Last September, Smith found Wenner guilty of eight of 13 violations cited in the condemnation order.
Alderman Jack Garvey, D-14th Ward, who has criticized the condition of the building, said, “It’s sad. There is a lot of memories and history there. But when you neglect a building like that, and it threatens safety, then you have to take it down. Buildings with a 15-foot hole in the roof are a problem.”
Back in the 50’s my neighbor on Alfred Ave. told me that when the Granada was being built, they had the front wall up (just the structural brick) and a windstorm came up one night and laid the wall all across Gravois Ave.
Some photos of the Granada Theatre.
Night 1985
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1985 the Granada block
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1985 daytime photo
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Head on 1985 photo
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Does anyone know what years that BAC operated the Granada?
Nice photos.
I have the vaguest memory of the Granada as a kid, I know that it’s where I saw my first movie (The Empire Strikes Back). I didn’t realize that it was torn down in the 90s, I had always heard that there was a fire there. I must have gotten it confused with something else!
I was born in St. Lou and grew up over by my grandparents house on Juniata St and Gustine Ave. I remember seeing Nightmare on Elmstreet w/my dad and uncle and sister and being scared to death walking home, because every alley we would pass by my uncle would yell “THERE’S FREDDY!!!!!” Also saw Airplane. Hated that the theater couldn’t be saved.
I remember coming to the Granada to see Back to the Future and the film kept busting and they had to restart it. Also saw my first R rated film there as well Porky’s. My parents took me I think I was 9 years old. They must have thought it was about that Looney Tunes character.
Renovations described in the second page of this 1964 article shared with the Hi-Pointe: Boxoffice
According to this item from the September 23, 1927, issue of The Film Daily, the Granada Theatre was built by the Skouras Borthers and Harry Koplar:
Warner Bros. took over Skouras Brothers Enterprises in 1928. I don’t know when the Arthurs took over the Saint Louis Amusement Company.