THEN AND NOW IN GRANDIN VILLAGE

The Grandin Road Commercial Historic District officially encompasses the 1300-1500 block of Grandin Road, SW and the 1700 - 1900 block of Memorial Avenue. Most of the historic buildings were built during 1906 - 1952, many by Eubank and Caldwell and John A. Page.

The 1920’s was a period of significant growth, ending with 16 businesses by 1929. By 1970 the businesses numbered 32, with many storefronts changing over the years. Today, some of those same businesses remain, and many more have moved in, making the Grandin Village a vital, unique part of the Raleigh Court community.

GRANDIN VILLAGE IN THE EARLY 1920's

The T intersection development at Grandin and Memorial began with the construction of the original Virginia Heights Elementary School in 1907. By 1911, the Roanoke Street Railway Company would complete a streetcar line between Raleigh Court/Virginia Heights and downtown, accelerating the commercial establishments of the present-day Grandin Village. 

          
Virginia Heights Elementary School, 1922.
The Grandin Village would soon emerge as a major retail and service area serving the residents of southwest Roanoke. The majority of the structures which are still in place with the current district were constructed during this period.

The top photo, courtesy of SHS, shows an aerial view of Memorial Bridge in 1928. The bottom photos show the dedication ceremony for the new bridge in 1925. Photo courtesy of HSWV.

On July 31, 1948, streetcar service to the Grandin area was abandoned, which also marked the end of streetcar transit altogether within the city of Roanoke. The demise of the streetcar transitioned the area into the automobile era, whereby much of the post-1950s development within the district was designed to accommodate the automobile.

Significant Buildings

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1919
Virginia Heights Baptist Church
2014 Memorial Avenue
Built in a Classical-Revival style, with a large educational wing added in 1939, this church stands as a visual landmark for the Village at the T intersection of Grandin Road and Memorial Avenue.

 

 

 

 

  

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1922
#7 Roanoke City Fire Station
1742 Memorial Avenue
Fire Station #7 was built in the Spanish Colonial Revival style with early 20th century flourishes. In 2021 a brand new station will open, combining elements of the past with the needs of the future. The new design creates more efficiency for firefighters in responding to calls The street was also reconfigured allowing for easier in and out for the trucks onto Memorial Ave. We appreciate our local firefighters and they deserve the best! 
 
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1926
1326-28 Grandin Road
This Classical-Revival style building was built at a cost of $40,000. With it’s large meeting room on the upper level, the lower level housed retail stores including Cook’s Apparel. Housing many businesses over the years, today it is home to Reid’s Fine Furnishings on the bottom floor and business rentals on the upper floors. Fun fact: it is the only 3 story building in the Village!
Reid's Fine Furnishings
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1931
Roanoke City Public Library
1916 Memorial Avenue
Today this Tudor Revival building is home to Pop’s Ice Cream & Soda Bar, a popular meeting place with old-time decor, games for the kids and Saturday night record night.

Pops Ice Cream & Soda Bar

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1932
The Grandin Theatre
1310 Grandin Road
The Grandin Theatre opened it’s doors with the film “Arrowsmith” starring Ronald Colman and Helen Hayes. Built in classic theatre style by Eubank & Caldwell, reflecting the fantasy motif of the movies of the early 20th century, the interior is a must see!
 
Opened as Roanoke’s first suburban movie house, the Grandin Theatre is still the centerpiece of Grandin Village. Today the Grandin thrives as the lone historic movie theatre in the Roanoke Valley.
 

GRANDIN VILLAGE FROM THE 1920's TO THE 1950's


old-texaco.jpgA number of one and two story buildings completed the commercial area of Grandin Road during this period. Long time residents will remember the names of the various grocery and drug stores which moved in and out of different buildings - Thompsons Meat Market, the Great A&P Tea Company, the Kroger Store, Piggly Wiggly Supermarket, Catogni's Grocery, Jamison's Grocer, Mick or Mack, Brice's Drug, Clore's Drug, Garland's Drug, CVS and West Pharmacy. Today the Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op on Grandin Road, and the Mick or Mack on Memorial Avenue still offer residents a large variety of grocery items. The Texaco used to be on the corner of Memorial and Grandin, where the Virginia Heights Church outside courtyard is now.
The one story Kroger Supermarket (now the Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op) was the first in the Village to orient it’s openings to the parking lot entrances on the side of the building, rather than to the street.
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1953
Garland's Drugstore
1327 Grandin Road
 
Garland's Drugstore is a familiar name among the older residents of Grandin Village and Raleigh Court. It's original location was further up Grandin, shown in the interior shot to the left. It had it's grand opening in the middle of Grandin Village at 1327 Grandin Road in 1953, becoming a neighborhood favorite. The building now houses a digital advertising agency, and a CoLab for entrepreneurs and solo business people.

GRANDIN AND MEMORIAL CIRCA 1961

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