Fort Worth’s New Indie Movie Theater Fills a Void — Inside the Grand Berry

Brooke and Jimmy Sweeney are one of those couples that ooze generosity and genuine, down to earth goodness. So, it’s no surprise that when you walk into their Grand Berry Theater in Fort Worth, it feels like you’re walking into their own personal living room. But, a living room with delicious, buttery popcorn, great wine and craft beer.

When you go see a movie at Grand Berry, you’re at ease and feel like you’re really experiencing something special.

When the couple decided to open a theater, they were looking to extend The Foundry district’s already artistic feel into the medium of film.

“We would talk to friends that would tell us about certain independent films and we had no venue to see those in Fort Worth. That kind of got us thinking,” Jimmy says.

After noticing the severe lack of consistent and approachable venue for independent films, the Sweeneys dreamt of creating a space to see thought provoking films. They wanted to bring films to Fort Worth that challenged the culture, but in an inviting and comfortable setting that would ultimately bring people together. The kind of environment that welcomes nuanced conversations and gives Fort Worth movie-goers a chance to see different perspectives.

The Foundry area seemed like a natural fit and when they found the space on Weisenberger Street, the wheels were set it motion. What came next was a long and involved process that took over a year, but it appears Grand Berry Theater was well worth the wait.

Movie Couple

Jimmy and Brooke have been married for a little over three years, but met while working at Pine Cove Camp in Tyler, Texas. The two went on to different colleges, Brooke to Texas A&M and Jimmy to TCU.

But both shared an interest in the arts that couldn’t be contained. Jimmy recalls friends in his hometown of Sarasota, Florida, hosting their own “film festivals”, and the feeling of losing yourself in a movie. Brooke has always been an artist in her own right. Whether it be through design, decor, branding or studying art history, art has always been a part of her story.

When it came to the aesthetics of the theatre, Brooke was fully able to showcase her talents. She chose plush teal couches for the seating and contemporary art prints that harken back to cinema classics. Brooke also manages the social media and marketing for the theatre, while Jimmy handles the operational aspects and booking of the films that come through the Grand Berry.

“Most of our current films are coming from the Sundance Film Festival which is very exciting,” he says. “Usually, our market can only show these movies after they debut in larger cities. A big part of what we are trying to prove is that Fort Worth is a totally separate market from Dallas and people in our city are hungry for these types of films.

“We’re just really excited to build the Fort Worth market.”

The Grand Berry Theater has already shown several critically acclaimed films, including Midsommar, The Last Black Man in San Francisco and The Nightingale. The Farewell, written and directed by Lulu Wang and starring Awkwafina, recently concluded a run. The film is already receiving Oscar Buzz and is being viewed as an international tour de force.

October brings a couple of important cult classics to Grand Berry including a week long Harry Potter marathon in partnership with Leaves Book and Tea Shop and Melt Ice Creams the week of October 25 to October 30. In true cinema fan fashion, October 31 will host many showings of the original 1978 Halloween, starring Jamie Lee Curtis.

The Grand Berry Theater truly encompasses what it means to be a modern Fort Worthian in pursuit of art and understanding of different perspectives. The Sweeneys have created a beautiful environment to be a part of something so fundamental to the city.

This is great place to watch a highly rated film and settle in with some popcorn, maybe some candy and a beverage and take full advantage of finally having a local theater with access to films that aren’t just mainstream blockbusters.

For more information and tickets, go to grandberrytheater.com.