NEW ULM — The building located at 212 N. Minnesota Street is celebrating its 100th anniversary this week.

Today the building is home to knitting supply store Nadel Kunst and fair trade store New Ulm’s Own, but the building was home to several businesses over the last century.

The building opened in January 1920 and was called the Grand Theatre. It was named after its next-door neighbor, The Grand Hotel.

In 1919, George W. Schlottman was the owner of The Grand Hotel. There was an open space next to the hotel that had once served as livery, but two decades into the 20th century it was vacant.

Schlottman built the theater next to the hotel for $16,000. The groundbreaking began in late August 1919. It officially opened in January. The original theatre had a seating capacity of 450 and included a stage to accommodate vaudeville acts.

The first movie shown was a recording of the play “Daddy Long Legs” starring Mary Pickford. Admission was 10 cents for the early show and 20 cents for the evening show. According to Journal articles, opening night had a packed crowd.

Over the next few years, the Grand Theatre would change management and owners every few months. In late July 1920, Schlottman sold the Grand Hotel and Grand Theatre to David Leonard for $72,000.

In July 1921, Jay E. Gould began to lease the theater and changed the name to Crystal Theatre. A few months later, Gould sold out to Theo Melzer. Melzer already owned the Lyric movie theater. This gave him control of both movie houses in New Ulm, but the theatres continued to change hands and names.

The building was named the Crystal Theatre for a few months before it was renamed the Grand again. In 1928 it became the Nile Theater. In 1935 it was the Time Theater.

By 1962, it was no longer operating as a movie theater and John Heymann bought the building. An extensive renovation removed the slope in the theater section of the building. The building began operating as New Ulm Savings and Loan Association and later the Minnesota Federal Savings and Loan. A vault from the building’s days as savings and loans is still visible.

The building has been shared by several companies over the years. From 1966 to 1981 it was used by Kraft. The George Hogen Agency occupied space for 16 years.

The longest tenant of the building is Nadel Kunst. Cindy Hillesheim’s knitting supply store has occupied the front of the building since 1983 and continues to be a downtown mainstay.

New Ulm’s Own began operating in the building in May 2017. New Ulm’s Own Chair Jeanne Hinsman said the fair trade non-profit began working out of the building because it offered small space to develop the business, but it was also a “cute” building in New Ulm’s downtown.

In honor of the building’s 100th anniversary, the fair trade store is hosting an open house event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25. Coffee and cake will be served. A special memory board will be set up for visitors to share stories of past businesses and people associated with the building.