Granada Theatre
3022 Hennepin Avenue South,
Minneapolis,
MN
55408
3022 Hennepin Avenue South,
Minneapolis,
MN
55408
13 people
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Live music venue now called Granada Theater. Suburban World Theatre website at the top is now defunct. Granada Theater website below.
https://granadampls.com/?fbclid=IwAR0o3UwU-aBkUGj2dzKeRvC0YzZOTQlAw-0lkW1QYmpW2BtG02RrGjWA9Fw
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
4 or 5 years ago (or so), I’d get up on Sunday mornings and see their old black and white films with sometimes cartoons and their great brunches.‘ Lamb and eggs!
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.
What a fabulous-looking theatre, inside and out. It seems to be in a class all by itself. Thanks for posting and sharing all the info with everybody here.
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.
THS visited this theater on their 2007 Conclave this summer. Very friendly welcome from the staff – very interesting theater, inside and out!
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.
Cartoon Brunch is back at the Suburban World! (as of 11/11/2006) I went on Saturday, 11/18/06, and had a fun time. The Spanish/Mediterranean theme, the stars, and the cloud machine are all still there! They also have an NFL brunch every Sunday, and various special events, musical shows, and film festivals (It was the headquarters for the 2006 Minneapolis/St Paul International Film Fest)
For now, you can find info about the theater at
www.myspace.com/suburbanworldtheatre
The management is in the process of updating the official site
(www.suburbanworldtheatre.com)
Why would someone change the original name from Granada to Suburban World? The name change reminds me of a B movie title.
What is the date of this newspaper article?
Is it really open? The web site has a press kit from 2002, and no current events on its calendar.
Opened as the Granada Theatre on 26th September 1928 with the movie “Glorious Betsy” starring Dolores Costello and Conrad Nagel. Seating capacities vary in different editions of Film Daily Yearbook; 1941 = 732, 1943 = 900, 1950 = 691. The book ‘Show Houses – Twin Cities Style’ by Kirk J. Besse gives a seating capacity of 800.
The Granada was operated by Paramount Picture Inc. through their subsidiary John Friedl during the 1940’s.
And where did the name Surburban World come from? I like Granada much better!
An atmospheric should never be closed as they are very special, but so are all the old cinema treasures no matter the style as they truly are just that….treasures!
I loved this theater. As far as I know, it was the only one of its kind in Minneapolis. Where else can you have dinner and watch a classic? It’s a pity it closed.
Any update on this theatre?
Before the conversion to cinema grill, the seating was 600, which came about after a re-seating and remodel of the lobby which took place in 1966-67. Prior to that, the seating was probably in the 800 range.
The links didn’t work… here’s the link to the exterior shots and the interior shots.
Before the more recent remodel- groovy anondized gold aluminum:
http://www.phototour.minneapolis.mn.us/165
And vintage shot with all good stuff from the streetfront(this link may not work)
And the well appointed interior. Exotic huh?
The Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra has a home, at, where else?, Symphony Hall!! The theater is much too small for symphony orchestra.
The theater closed in 2003 after a plan to reorganize it as a multi-pupose entertainment venue fell through. The owner would not negotiate with the tenant, or something along those lines. The group that was to run the theater is now putting their energy into another neighborhood theater, the Hollywood Theater in Mpls.
/theaters/5994/
The Suburban World is currently closed.
I am looking for information on restoring a theater and looking for someone interesting in running the four screen theater.
The Suburban World has been converted into a cinema cafe (probably around late 2000) seating considerably fewer than 800. However the atmospheric interior is still intact and the cloud machine is still rolling!