Grand 3 Theatres

50sSNIPES on November 7, 2023 at 4:28 pm

Actually SethG, you are 100% correct on the building.

This triplex opened its doors on July 19, 1985 as the replacement of the Grand Twin Theatre (formerly Grand Theatre) located on Sixth Street downtown. The theater has an original name of “Grand Theatres III” but was officially named simply “Grand Theatres” right after opening. It was actually the fourth Grand Theatre to open in Estherville.

The triplex Grand Theatres was located on the site of the former Red Owl Store building which began remodeling into a theater in December 1984. It featured three screens with a total capacity of 600 seats (with 200 seats in each auditorium) and a video store next door. The theater was renamed “Grand 3 Theatres” in 1997.

• NOTE: Although the page said that the Grand 3 Theatres closed for a time in 2002, it was confirmed that the theater did not close at all in 2002. I recently looked up showtime archives from the Grand 3 Theatres and the theater was still strongly running as normal throughout all of 2002.

SethG on November 6, 2023 at 1:49 pm

I think this was only the third Grand. The 1913 Grand and the Grand shown on the 1920 map are in the same place, but the 1920 version has expanded to replace a building to the south. This makes sense if the first Grand (and possibly the neighboring store) had burned. I see no evidence of a third at that location. This looks much newer than 1950, but maybe it was remodeled?