Grandin Theatre
1310 Grandin Road,
Roanoke,
VA
24015
1310 Grandin Road,
Roanoke,
VA
24015
4 people
favorited this theater
Related Websites
Grandin Theatre (Official)
Additional Info
Architects: John J. Zink
Firms: Eubank & Caldwell
Functions: Movies (First Run), Movies (Independent)
Styles: Renaissance Revival
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
540.345.6177
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Mar 2, 2010 — Happy 45th, "The Sound Of Music"
- Sep 7, 2007 — John Waters to perform at historic Carolina Theatre
- Aug 20, 2007 — Goonies screening at Grandin
- Mar 26, 2007 — Happy 75th, Grandin Theatre
The 1,000-seat Grandin Theatre was opened March 26, 1932 with Ronald Colman in “Arrowsmith”. It is the only remaining classic movie house in the city, closed in November 2001 due to financial pressures amid increased competition from local multiplexes. The final, sold out screening of “The Last Picture Show” was a fitting end for the Grandin Theatre.
While owner Julie Hunsaker was forced to close the theatre, the Grandin Theatre Foundation restored and reopened the theatre after a $1.25 million effort. The main, very ornate auditorium is intact, except that the former balcony houses two more auditoriums. There is also a separate screening room
Today, the Grandin Theatre is back and better than ever.
Contributed by
Cinema Treasures
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 19 comments)
Must have been used for concerts during the 1980s.
I have a list showing Bobby “Blue” Bland played there on 3/15/85.
The terrace theatre was a twin & I was the projectionest there part time. Also I worked at it sister theatre the Towers theatre which was a triple ples & it was only about 3 to 4 miles from the grandin. I also was the projectionest there part time.
When I was a teenager attending Patrick Henry High School, I met Sam Craver who was general manager of the Grandin/Jefferson/Lee Theatres. He gave me a stack of pressbooks and spent hours showing me how movies were promoted and advertised. A year later we moved to Richmond where I got a job as an usher at a reserved seat 70mm house and eventually became the advertising director for the circuit of 100 screens from 1974 to 1996, all from the seed Mr. Craver planted. Nice folks in Roanoke!
I would like to visit Roanoke as I’ve been to that city many years ago and remember the star on the hill overlooking the city and the beautiful neighborhoods. A future visit would include the Grandin this time around though!
Roanoke,Patsy,is probably the most livable,pleasent place in the country,with more beauty than is given to most places.The biggest stain is the total wipe out of the former array of great downtown theaters.Several are not listed on the site,including the largest and grandest.One attraction for a traveler like me,is the traditionally lower than anywhere in the region,gas prices.
Thanks for the photo of this theater as I’ve been to Roanoke many years and don’t recall seeing it, but then again I wasn’t into theatres during my visit in the 60’s. It looks like the original ticket kios is still there, too.
HEY! Wasn’t the exterior of the Grandin used in the movie “Crazy People”??
Here is a photo circa 1946:
http://tinyurl.com/ylxjqsm
The Emporis page for the Grandin Theatre attributes the design of the project to the local architectural and construction firm Eubank & Caldwell.
According to the City of Roanoke’s official plan for the Greater Raleigh Court neighborhood, the Grandin opened as the Community Theatre on March 26, 1932.
Grand opening ad:
Grandin Theatre opening 20 Mar 1932, Sun The Roanoke Times (Roanoke, Virginia) Newspapers.com