Emporia’s Granada Theatre is being recognized at the national level.
The Granada was recently acknowledged as one of the nine most beautiful historical movie theatres in the US by Architectural Digest. The Granada was the only theatre in Kansas to be recognized on the list and one of five theatres in the Midwest to make the list.
Originally constructed in the late 1920s, the Granada would close its doors in 1982 and faced the possibility of demolition due to its declining condition and significant neglect. Demolition would be avoided thanks to the Emporia Granada Theatre Alliance (EGTA), which formed in 1994 to preserve the facility.
The theatre then underwent a significant restoration between 2004 and 2008 and reopened to the public as an event venue, which has seen several major names pass through its doors, including Kelley Hunt, Everclear, Little River Band, Sara Evans, Dwight Yoakam, LeAnn Rimes and many more, in addition to hosting various major community events and fundraisers annually.
