EDIT: solved by setting the width first.
function addCellClickEventListener()
{
var grid = $('#grid').data('kendoGrid');
$(grid.tbody).on('click',"> tr:not(.k-grouping-row, .k-detail-row, .k-group-footer) td.dow", function(){
// get some additional data from the server based on values from the row to
// which the clicked-on cell belongs -- works OK -- reference to grid is valid
.
.
.
var windowObject = $("#messagewindow").data("kendoWindow").open();
// windowObject is undefined
});
}