Grant Theatre

501 Grant Avenue,
Eveleth, MN 55734

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50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES on September 29, 2026 at 8:07 pm

John Pazzelli is the original owner of the Grant, with LeRoy J. Boudreau being the original manager (with help by Sam Edelstein and Sam Aluni). Other original employees include Sam Aluni’s wife as the cashier, Louis Stone as the doorman, and the ushers being Gerald Knudson and Leonard Tobin. An International Falls man simply named Mr. Olson is the original projectionist.

  • Correction: “Romance of the Limberlost” ran three days after opening, as it only opened with “Gangster’s Boy” (unknown if extras added). Virginia, Minnesota-based radio station WHLB (later WEEP, now defunct) joined in the opening ceremonies on its Thanksgiving opening night.
Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on January 3, 2026 at 4:03 pm

This Facebook post from the Eveleth Heritage Society says the Grant Theatre opened on Thanksgiving Day, 1938 (November 24 that year.) The first movies shown were “Gangster’s Boy” with Jackie Cooper and a western called “Romance of the Limberlost.”

The local paper described the façade as featuring an ivory and blue Vitrolite finish with a granite base. The lobby had a terrazzo floor, and the auditorium was 48 x 75 feet, with 606 red, black and green seats. The house was designed by local architect Elwin Harris Berg. At the time of its closing, the Grant was Eveleth’s last traditional indoor cinema, the Regent and State Theatres having both closed in 1955.

rvarani
rvarani on June 18, 2011 at 1:47 pm

Just added two pictures of the projection booth. The projector were named “Betsey” & “Matilda”.

rvarani
rvarani on March 19, 2010 at 5:37 pm

The Grant opened in 1939. It was bullt by The Pazelli and Aluni families. The Crouse family, who at the time the Grant opened, operated the Regent and State Theatres, was brought in as managers. I worked here as a relief projectionist from 1952 until 1957. The theatre went to a weekend operation around 1958 and closed around 1960. The original projection equipment ended up in the Heights Theatre in Columbia Heights, Mn. The Grant was reopened for a short time around 1965 by a group of businessmen from Virginia, Mn. I came back to Eveleth for a short time to assist in the reopening.