Granby Theater
421 Granby Street,
Norfolk,
VA
23510
421 Granby Street,
Norfolk,
VA
23510
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It was renamed the Lee in the mid-sixties.
I finally discovered what happened to the original Granby Theatre that Jake Wells built in 1900. On January 1, 1918, a fire that started in the theater destroyed almost two blocks of downtown Norfolk, including the Monticello Hotel. A New York Times story about the disaster can be read at GenDisasters.
The theater had apparently been closed for some time prior to the fire. The new Granby Theatre was built in 1916, according to this paragraph from a brochure for a self-guided tour of Norfolk:
The partnership of architects Thomas P. Thompson and Clarence A. Neff was established around 1902 and was dissolved in 1933.Numerous web sites say that Jake Wells built the Granby Theatre in 1901. An ad for Jake Wells Enterprises in the August 2, 1912, issue of Variety gave the Granby Theatre Building, Norfolk, as the location of the company’s headquarters, though they also maintained a booking office in New York City. The Granby Theatre was one of three theaters in Norfolk that was listed in the 1909-1910 Cahn guide.
The opening of the Granby Theatre as a movie house was noted in the March 18, 1916, issue of The Moving Picture World:
Glad to know this theatre is restored and open! I’ll have to go visit if I’m ever in the Norfolk area.
This theatre originally had a Seeburg-Smith theatre pipe organ installed in 1921. Does anybody know where it, or its parts, is today? I’m putting together a Smith theatre pipe organ history webpage and this info will help me out. Here is all I know about it so far:
From “The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Pipe Organ” by David L. Junchen, pg. 631:
Granby (Lee) Th. – 2/ – Seeburg-Smith.
This entry means that the theatre’s name at the time of the book’s publication was/is the Granby, but it was originally called the Lee(?).
It also means that it was a two manual (number of keyboards) organ, but that the number of pipe ranks was not known to Mr. Junchen at the time of publication.
Finally, it means this was a “Seeburg-Smith” organ built by the company when it was associated with Seeburg and when the organs were built in the Seeburg factory in Chicago along with the Seeburg coin pianos and orchestrions. This would place the installation within the 1916-1921 timeframe, since Mr. Smith formed his own company circa late 1921 / early 1922 in Chicago, then moved to Geneva, Illinois a few years later (Geneva-Smith), and finally, moved to Alameda, California a year or two after that (Leathurby-Smith).
Since I’m in the midst of researching Smith organs in the Music Trade Review magazine archives, I though it would be appropriate to post this mention of the Granby organ here, which gives just a little more info (an approximate year of installation):
http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1921-72-20/MTR-1921-72-20-101.pdf
Music Trade Review, Volume 72, No. 20; May 14, 1921; pg. 99:
“Seeburg Piano Co.
The J. P. Seeburg Piano Co., Chicago, made a representative showing of automatics and electric pianos in the exhibit on the mezzanine of the Drake. [Note: this is referring to the big annual musical instrument trade show / convention held in Chicago in 1921] Two models of the new Lilliputian automatic, which is probably the smallest of its kind in the world, made their debut at the convention. There was also shown the console of a Smith-Seeburg organ which is to be installed in the Granby Theatre, Norfolk, Va. J. P. Seeburg, Marshall Seeburg, Lee S. Jones, H. O. Ellis, O. A. Ball, R. H. McCabe and O. A. Gressing attended."
I ran shows here in 1967-68 as an extra board operator for Local 550, the now long-gone IA operator’s local. Alonzo T. Hughes was the BA then and set all the projectionist calls from the booth office. It was mostly a B run house then with a heavy Navy attendance and had seen better days. Still, the equipment was well-maintained and was an easy booth to work.
If you haven’t been to a wedding or corporate yet…you’re missing out!
I attended a wedding at Granby Theater last weekend and WOW! This place is breathtaking. I just told my boss to have our next holiday party booked here, Can’t wait!
Here is a June 2007 article about the possible re-opening of the Granby:
http://hamptonroads.com/node/282101
View link
Hope this link works.
The theater reopened on 4/28/05 per the Virginian-Pilot.
The Premiere is still not open. Owner is apparently finding new expensive problems with this old theatre. My impression is he is doggedly persistent, and will stick with it until all the repair work is complete.
I’m currently restoring all the plaster work in this theater. The photos will be availible soon. This project started last summer, and is projected to open sometime early this summer. The new name for the theater is The Premiere. The facade and marquee will also be restored. The owners have a website “in progress” at www.premierenorfolk.com
I was able to tour this theatre yesterday. Currently it is undergoing extensive renovation scheduled to be completed in May. It will be a nightclub/comedy club/concert venue. The renovation is re-working the space to include a variety of seating options with tables and chairs, theater seats, etc with multiple levels. A dance floor will be created just in front of the stage. Though the theatre will not be used for films, one of the old projectors will be on display. Much of the original plaster was damaged and had to be removed, but ceiling medallions and pedaments are being re-created. Currently the old marquee is down, but is in the process of being restored and re-installed. This theatre has been closed since 1985. It was a movie house. In 1967 it had an extensive renovation and was used for the road show engagements of CAMELOT and FUNNY GIRL. The downtown area unfortunately was in decline and by the early seventies they has slipped to low grade action and horror films. Great to see that three theatres in downtown Norfolk ( the Loews, The Norva and now the Granby) have found new uses. The re-birth of that area is inspiring.
What a treasure! If anyone knows who bought the house please
let me know as I’d sure love to be involved with any film booking
needs.
ok thank you for the info. I sure it will be great when it’s all done thanks again
It must have been bought, it is now going through renovation! This place will be great when it opens.
Hello my name is Darren, Im interested in buying this theater. If you have anymore information in the granby please contact me at Thank you and i hope to hear from someone soon. In regards to who owns it know and maybe how i can contact them.