Table of Contents
VIRGINIA, Minn. — Grandma’s Restaurant Company will permanently close its Virginia restaurant Sept. 27, ending a 35-year run on the Iron Range after deciding not to renew its lease for 2027.
The company announced the closure Friday, saying it opted against operating under a short-term lease that it believed could make it difficult to maintain its standards for food and service.
The restaurant will remain open through Sept. 27, giving customers an opportunity to visit during its final days while allowing employees to continue working as they seek other jobs.
Grandma’s said employees who want to remain with the company will receive priority consideration for positions at its Duluth operations.
Those locations include Grandma’s Saloon & Grill, Little Angie’s Cantina, Bellisio’s Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar, The Garden Wedding & Event Center and Adventure Zone Family Fun Center.
“We are profoundly grateful for the relationship we have shared with the Virginia community over the last 35 years,” company management said in a statement. “While this closure brings an end to a wonderful era on the Iron Range, we want to assure our longtime fans that this is not a final goodbye. There will always be a warm welcome and a table waiting for them at our Canal Park restaurants.”
The company said its decision not to renew the Virginia lease was made with the restaurant’s long-term reputation in mind rather than continue under a temporary arrangement.
The closure will end more than three decades of Grandma’s operations in Virginia while the company continues operating its restaurants and entertainment businesses in Duluth’s Canal Park district.
