Beach Theatre

315 Corey Avenue,
St. Pete Beach, FL 33706

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Showing 1 - 25 of 37 comments

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on April 8, 2024 at 11:28 am

Trolleyguy’s link above includes the official website and Facebook page for the Beach Theatre, which can be added to this page.

https://www.thebeachtheatre.org/?fbclid=IwAR0k0UHaZ21-wB6AYBXLZD5PoK7h9L5Regs3O8qOC7Sr8e2jnKxp5ZgrMWM_aem_Af0RGGu4iywb7ChhrcvU_5aUW5gamKO3I6Rbju-2F3ZbQ4dSDKUv61BkHkXguAa7_TosomDhx3SMZgHyxF5NoK6F

https://www.facebook.com/spbeachtheatre/

Trolleyguy
Trolleyguy on April 7, 2024 at 11:22 pm

Here’s the latest news

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES on March 1, 2024 at 9:14 am

On March 1, 2024, the Beach Theatre has sold again and will reopen back as a movie house later this year.

Trolleyguy
Trolleyguy on September 6, 2021 at 12:43 pm

Has been purchased and the new owners are contemplating future use. https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/2021/09/04/whats-next-for-the-beach-theatre-new-owner-wants-your-input/?fbclid=IwAR3G0yD_U3iqsnfFAAt0pk15GkMUVF3xbwLNa9ZHP1fWIk1yWuQGA7Zjp-M

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on August 3, 2021 at 8:43 am

For Sale as of July 29,2021. Listing below with 15 photos including interior.

https://www.watsonrealtycorp.com/p/315-Corey-Avenue-Saint-Pete-Beach-FL-33706/dmgid_147935896

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on August 3, 2021 at 5:32 am

Paramount subsidiary Florida State Theatres controlled the Beach Theatre under a lease from 1941 until 1950, according to an item in the March 4, 1950 issue of Boxoffice. The Item said that FST had just cancelled the 10-year lease and that operation of the house would be taken over by the building’s owner, Stephen S. Girard.

This article about the Beach Theatre says that the house was only active intermittently during the 1940s, so it seems likely that FST leased the place primarily in order to prevent a competitor from getting control of it.

P. K. "Budd" Ballard
P. K. "Budd" Ballard on November 26, 2016 at 7:13 am

The BEACH THEATRE was not a metal “Quanset” hut construction. I was the projectionist there when it was operated by Bill Eisenhart. This was during the time we ran every Marx Bros. film available. We also ran Laurel and Hardy films and played to a sold out house every Friday and Saturday. The booth had Super Simplex projection heads with RCA sound heads. It had Strong Mogul arc lamps and Kneisley tungar bulb rectifiers. It was a lovely theatre and could be re-opened again. ps: The concession stand had a MANLEY popcorn machine that looked like a juke box.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on May 7, 2016 at 10:42 pm

Circa 1985 photo added courtesy of John Brack.

MovieMad52
MovieMad52 on December 31, 2014 at 12:19 am

I am interested…what do you have in mind?

J_R
J_R on October 17, 2014 at 2:31 pm

Message for MovieMad52: Hey, I noticed that you have a desire to reopen the Beach Theater (from your comments spanning 2 years). If you would like to discuss a possible business venture that would satisfy your dream, please contact me at . I have some ideas about a “new” st. pete bch theater. I’ll tell you more if you reply!! -J R

MovieMad52
MovieMad52 on September 29, 2014 at 11:46 pm

I would love to reopen this theatre with the family if interested. Shame that this theatre is closed.

MovieMad52
MovieMad52 on April 5, 2014 at 1:05 am

Would love to reopen this classic theatre.

maleman
maleman on August 30, 2013 at 9:11 pm

When I lived in St Pete Florida back in 1971 I went here a lot and if I remember they used to run Marx Brother movies

RRF
RRF on July 7, 2013 at 8:01 pm

I remember over the years several owners breathing life into the location….with competition from drive-ins and AMC nearby. If I am not mistaken the building is a qounset metal hut construction behind the facade.

MovieMad52
MovieMad52 on April 20, 2013 at 1:48 pm

Condolences to the family.

MarkNYLA
MarkNYLA on April 17, 2013 at 6:38 am

Sad to report that screenwriter Michael France, the owner of the Beach Theatre, passed away on April 12, 2013. I wonder what will happen now to this great and nostalgic venue.

Jannie Gunnlaugsson
Jannie Gunnlaugsson on March 28, 2013 at 1:23 am

The website listed above was set up about 2 years ago when the owner announced the intent to switch to a non-profit. The transition hadn’t happened, yet, by the time of the theatre’s closing in the middle of last November. There are some legal issues preventing the reopening, but hopefully, once settled, it’ll reopen. I haven’t spoken to the owner recently, but I worked on their website and Facebook page for years until last May.

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on December 19, 2012 at 12:31 am

The owner has established this website for those who would like to help reopen the theater as a not-for-profit.

MovieMad52
MovieMad52 on December 18, 2012 at 9:11 pm

I would love to help get this theatre reopened with the owner. I have 43 years of theatre and restaurant experience. Would be fun.

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on November 19, 2012 at 12:26 pm

An article about the closing can be found here.

Mikeoaklandpark
Mikeoaklandpark on November 19, 2012 at 11:54 am

What a shame this was a great single screen neighborhood theater. :(

42ndStreetMemories
42ndStreetMemories on November 19, 2012 at 6:52 am

The Beach just announced its closed for business. Sad. They tried to make a run of it.

JHJHJH
JHJHJH on July 2, 2012 at 6:56 am

this theater is open for business? your website is not updated for weeks like that facebook page

Jannie Gunnlaugsson
Jannie Gunnlaugsson on April 5, 2011 at 9:01 pm

Hello all, I work for the Beach Theatre (on their website) and just found this website and entry for the theatre. In reading the earlier comments, there seems to be some confusion about the original opening date for the theatre. Those who’ve said we opened on 1/15/1940 are correct. We still have a grand opening Playbill framed in our theatre from that event that anyone can see as they enter the lobby. I don’t know why there isn’t an ad in the paper on that day. I looked at the March 1946 newspaper “opening” ad and that must refer to the RE-opening of the theatre. As it states on our history page, during WWII a German U-boat was spotted off the coast of FL, so a blackout was ordered of all businesses along the coast that lasted 18 months. 1946 was after the war ended, so it seems that we’d reopen around that time.