Granada Theatre

Why would someone change the original name from Granada to Suburban World? The name change reminds me of a B movie title.

This is the only operating theater I know of in the Twin Cities area with spanish influence. The only other that even comes close is the old El Lago Theater next to the Lake Street Garage restaraunt. That theater, was, however turned into a church a long time ago, and I dont believe much of the original interior is left, though there is still a gorgeous facade with beautiful spanish wall ornamentation at the main entry. I too wonder why the name was switched to Suburban World. I’m pretty sure that name doesn’t describe the theater as well as Granada does. I would like to see the name changed back to Granada, and the original sign recreated. I dont think many people realize how grand the place is because unfortunately Suburban World does not sound so ritzy.

The name “Suburban World” dates back to the years when Ted Mann owned this theater along with a number of others including the downtown World Theater on 7th Street just west of Hennepin Avenue. The name was chosen, I believe, simply to differentiate it from the downtown theater. I agree that the original name “Granada” should be reinstated.

The name World came about in the 1930s. The small downtown Minneapolis World was cut out of a larger older cinema. Around the same time the 1910 Shubert in St. Paul was renamed the World. Today the St. Paul house is the Fitzgerald. The Minneapolis house is long gone.
The name World was chosen because these two cinemas started out screening international films. So in the early 1950s the “suburban” World started out the same way, screening non-Hollywood international films.

The theater went into foreclosure and was for sale for over a year. There is proposal to convert it to a retail space which will involve some restoration.

http://www.minneapolismn.gov/meetings/hpc/WCMS1P-110792