The Grandin Theatre opened in 1932 as the first talking cinema house in Roanoke. Ninety-two years later, it remains a cultural icon in the Roanoke region and an economic, geographic, and historic anchor in the Grandin Village neighborhood.
Coming out of COVID in 2021, the Grandin Theatre pivoted its model, stacking its movie offerings on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, leaving Mondays through Thursdays open to hosting other community events like comedy nights, author talks, and live music.
The Grandin Theatre doesn’t just operate as its own facility. The Grandin Theatre Foundation is mindful about how it contributes to the other small, independent businesses in Grandin Village. Their idea is that patrons entering or leaving the movies will fuel the economy around them — going into ice cream shops, grocery stores, ballet theaters, and retail shops.
Listen to our interview with Ian Fortier, the Executive Director of the Grandin Theatre Foundation, below, and learn more at grandintheatre.com
