The Rosenthal Family’s Redwood Grocery – 3502 Redwood Road

Before there was Buzz Beeline, Milt & Tips Beeline, Reed & Devons Beeline, or Cliff’s Beeline, there was the Redwood Grocery. In the early 1930’s until the early 1950s, Rosenthal Redwood Feed & Grocery, located at 3502 Redwood Road, was owned and operated by Herman and Kate Rosenthal.(“Hyman & Kitty”)

Their children—Sylvia, Melba, Berton, and Constance—all helped with the family business.

Melba later married Eddie Allem, and together they opened the well-loved Delicious Cinegrill Restaurant, one of the first establishments in the Salt Lake Valley to introduce pizza to local diners. Eugene Jelesnik, of Talent Showcase fame, could often be found there on weekends, entertaining the crowds with his accordion. Each dish featured a rich tomato sauce, toasted garlic rolls, and aromatic salads. The salads—made with torn, not chopped lettuce—were topped with slices of pepperoni, mozzarella, and a spicy yellow pepper. Former diners still fondly recall the Cinegrill’s famous house dressing, a much-talked-about favorite that remains in memory long after the restaurant’s doors closed.

Though both the Redwood Grocery and the Cinegrill have long since closed, the contributions of the Rosenthal and Allem families are fondly remembered and deeply appreciated in our community’s history..

In the late 40’s early 50’s the Rosenthal’s Grocery stood here.

The Rosenthal Legacy
The Rosenthal family not only provided groceries and goods to the Redwood community but also fostered a spirit of hard work and hospitality that carried into the next generation. Their daughter, Melba Rosenthal Allem, became a driving force behind the Cinegrill’s warm and welcoming atmosphere. Known for her gracious manner and attention to detail, Melba helped shape the restaurant into a gathering place where good food, music, and friendship blended seamlessly. Her contributions—alongside her husband Eddie’s—ensured that the Cinegrill became not just a restaurant, but a landmark of memories for countless families in the Salt Lake Valley.