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Grandview Theatre drops off Minnesota's active food licence list

Grandview Theatre drops off Minnesota's active food licence list

Money Moves Saint Paul, MN local

The 93-year-old Saint Paul landmark may have closed, or just dropped its concessions

Today: Second absence from list

Overview

Updated 2 hours ago

Saint Paul's Grandview Theatre, a 93-year-old landmark at 1830 Grand Ave, has dropped off the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's active food establishment licence list. The theatre's licence was still listed on Sept. 16; two consecutive registry checks since have come back empty.

A missing licence is not proof the theatre closed. Mann Theatres, which operates the two-screen venue, still advertises screenings for this week on its own site and on Fandango. The lapse could mean the concessions stand shut down, or it could signal the end of a Macalester-Groveland institution.

Why it matters

If the lapse means closure, Macalester-Groveland loses its only movie theater and a 1933 building anchoring Grand Avenue.

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Key Indicators

2
Consecutive licence-list readings missing Grandview
The food licence was present on Sept. 16 and absent from two checks since.
93
Years standing at 1830 Grand Ave
The theatre opened in 1933 for George Grandstrom.
1,100
Theatre's seats after 1937 expansion
A balcony addition brought roughly 350 new seats.

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People Involved

Organizations Involved

Timeline

January 1933 September 2026

7 events Latest: Today
Tap a bar to jump to that date
  1. Second absence from list

    Today Record

    Two consecutive readings lack the licence; no party confirms closure.

  2. Last confirmed reading

    Record

    Final registry check showing the Grandview food licence still active.

  3. First licence reading

    Record

    MDA active list shows Grandview food licence present on first check.

  4. Balcony becomes second screen

    History

    Conversion creates the two-auditorium Grandview 1 & 2.

  5. Theatre renovated

    History

    Extensive renovation follows Grandstrom's death the prior year.

  6. East wing and balcony added

    History

    Addition brings a lounge, office and 350-seat balcony; capacity hits 1,100.

  7. Grandview Theatre opens

    History

    Built for George Grandstrom by the same architect who designed Highland Theater.

Scenarios

1

Grandview Theatre closes permanently

Possible Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Twin Cities media (Star Tribune, Pioneer Press) if the closure is confirmed

The licence lapse reflects a full shutdown: the theatre stops screening films and the 1933 building goes dark. A recent review citing a mouse in the auditorium and this month's lapse suggest possible neglect. The building could sit empty or be sold for redevelopment along Grand Avenue.

2

Grandview keeps showing films after dropping concessions

Possible Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Mann Theatres' continued online showtimes

The licence lapse only covers the concessions stand. The theatre keeps screening films while no longer selling food, an unusual but legal setup. Mann's own site still advertises September 18 screenings, which this scenario treats as the truer signal of the business's health.

3

Grandview regains its food licence

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: The state registry, if the lapse proves a processing or renewal error

The absence is a paperwork lag rather than a business decision. The partnership re-applies or the MDA updates its file, the licence reappears on the active list, and the closure question dissolves. This is the lowest-drama path and the least likely given how long a lapse tends to persist.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1973-1975

Grandview's own 1970s adaptation (1973-1975)

After George Grandstrom died in 1972, the theatre underwent a major renovation and then converted its balcony into a second screening room, becoming Grandview 1 & 2.

Then

The twinning let the cinema run more titles and compete with multiplexes.

Now

The 1975 conversion is why the venue still operates as a two-screen house today.

Why this matters now

The Grandview has adapted before; whether it can adapt again is the open question behind this licence lapse.

November 2021

Uptown Theatre, Minneapolis (2021)

The Uptown, a beloved art-deco cinema on Hennepin Avenue that had shown films for decades, closed when its operator, Marcus Theatres, declined to renew its lease. A community effort to save the building followed.

Then

The theatre went dark in late 2021 while local groups sought a new operator.

Now

The building has largely sat unused, a landmark reminder of how the pandemic accelerated single-screen cinema declines.

Why this matters now

Like the Grandview, the Uptown was a historic neighborhood cinema whose fate hinged on economics and operator decisions rather than audience loyalty.

Sources

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