Meet Jimmy Sweeney | Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jimmy Sweeney and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jimmy, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
We wanted to provide an experience and access to movies that weren’t easily accessible to Fort Worth! In starting The Grand Berry, our goal was to increase access to a lot of really great content, and provide an experience that the city needed.

What should our readers know about your business?
The Grand Berry Theater is a mission-driven, community-based business which strives to create a unique, high quality movie going experience by: 1. Promoting community within the theater and beyond by connecting strangers who might not otherwise meet and encouraging understanding through our diverse offerings. 2. Being accessible and welcoming to everyone in Fort Worth and beyond by being affordable and by offering a diverse range of programming. In harkening back to a time where Fort Worth was filled with motion picture theaters, we took the names from 2 that still stand. The Grand, located near our neighborhood in east Fort Worth, opened in 1938 as a neighborhood theater for the Black community. The Berry, located at the intersection of Hemphill and W. Berry, opened near 1930 as a theater serving a predominantly white population. In providing a safe space that promotes coming together as yourself, we hope we can pay homage to how Fort Worth has grown and come together over the 90 years since these theaters first opened, and provide a space for conversation where it can continue to grow. We’re really proud of the niche we’ve been able to fill in Fort Worth, and are optimistic that that will only grow in the years to come!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There are a lot of awesome spots in Fort Worth, especially some that fly under the radar! Some places that would be on our must hit list for great food and drink: Shinjuku Station, Leaves, The Table, Samson’s Ethiopian Cuisine, Paul’s Donuts, Coco Shrimp, Black Coffee, and Coffee Folk, among so many others. We’d definitely spend some good outdoor time hiking around Tandy Hills and walking around the Botanic Gardens. And our indoor hangout time would include wandering through Doc’s, Gifted, and the Montgomery St. Antique Mall.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people and influences that go in to making any business venture happen. We’re so grateful for everyone who has ever supported us, especially those of y’all that have gone out of your way over the past year to make sure we’re doing alright.

Website: grandberrytheater.com

Instagram: @thegrandberrytheaterftw

Twitter: @gbtheaterftw