Grandin Boycott Being Organized Over Jason Garnett's Firing

I got this shot at the Grandin Road Christmas parade a couple of years ago. The title is, "Can I call you back?" That's a cell phone in the guy's hand.

There seems to be a tornado of protest brewing over the apparent firing of General Manager Jason Garnett by the Grandin Theatre in Roanoke. I have e-mailed Grandin Executive Director Kathy Chittum to get a confirmation on the firing, and she wrote back, "This is a personnel matter and I have no comment to make." Jason has not answered a photo call asking him what happened.

The 'Net, however, is alive with chatter about a boycott being arranged by Beth Deel, co-owner of MyScoper and UpupPeriscope in Roanoke and Beth Jones, a former Roanoke Times arts reporter and long-time Grandin supporter.

There is a 5 p.m. meeting of the board today and the firing is almost certain to come up. One insider, who asked not to be identified, said, the Grandin has "several new members and a new preesident, none of [whom] knows the history, the mission, the vision" of the Grandin or "the backstory of what has gone on there. A board member e-mailed me that "I agree with you! Jason is the real heart of theatre, and we don't want to, and can't afford to, lose him."

Many, including former owner Julie Hunsaker, are coming to Jason's defense and castigating the Grandin's management. Here's what Keri Sink-Tyler says, in reply to Beth Deel's announcement of the boycott on her Facebook page, "As a former employee and friend of Jason, I do know the whole story. Jason is passionate about film, and about the Grandin. He only wants what's best for the Grandin-and to make it a creative resource for the community that everyone can participate in [Jason is] the face of that place. He has put so much of himself into the Grandin, worked 60 hours a week making sure that everything ran smoothly, and trying to come up with ideas-only to have them constantly shot down."

Keri insists that Jason has been the victim of a campaign meant to get rid of him and writes that management has been involved in "shady things" and "is going to run that place into the ground." Management is "uncreative, awful to employees ... and awful with customers," according to the post.

Cory Dorathy writes, "Passion for people aside, the Grandin is a vital part of this community and if we turn our backs on it as an entity, then we turn our backs on the progress of this community."

Jason is not universally supported. Marcus Hodges writes, "I was boycotting the Grandin because of Jason's shitty treatment of other employees."

Julie Hunsaker, who owned the Grandin (1985-2002) before it was bought by the Grandin Theatre Foundation, wrote: "I always felt that Jason was the torch bearer for my original, beautiful and idealistic vision and mission for the Grandin. I am in mourning. I am weeping."

There's a lot more commentary on that page and, I suspect, a lot more to come. I don't know how much Kathy Chittum can say about the situation, but the longer she remains quiet, the more difficult this could become for her and the Grandin Board (of which I was once a member). This could be dangerous for Roanoke's alternative theater, which does not operate with generous margins, to begin with. My guess is that Jason has had a great deal to do with any success the Grandin has had over the years, something he's rarely been credited with, except among insiders who know his value. Frankly, I'm not sure the Grandin can afford to be without him. He's the very soul of the organization.