Princess Theatre
3177 Virginia Beach Boulevard,
Virginia Beach,
VA
23452
3177 Virginia Beach Boulevard,
Virginia Beach,
VA
23452
2 people
favorited this theater
Opened by the Wilder Theatre chain on November 22, 1963 with Jack Lemmon in “Under the Yum Yum Tree”. It was closed in 1975. In 1995 it was a church. It was demolished in April 2024..
Contributed by
Bob Jensen
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Recent comments (view all 12 comments)
KEN MC, Virginia Beach is the home of Pat Robertson, his 700 Club, his Christian Brodcasting Network(one of the largest television ministries in the world), his Regent Universties 3,000 students and his total assets last year of $251,060,000, if I got that number right! Yes some may say that amount of money IS pagan!
I agree. By the way, I have been curious about your initials. I think NAC is naval air command, but the only AKC I know, and I mean no disrespect, is the American Kennel Club. Can you enlighten me?
u.s. navy RETiried Aviation storKeeper Chief petty officer (Naval AirCrewmen). In the U.S. Navy when a sailor is promoted to Chief it’s a big deal “the Chiefs run the Navy” we have an initiation. With a rate of AKC which as you mention stands for the American Kennal Culb the old salty Chiefs came up with a costume I had to wear, you guessed it, a DOG!
Thanks for asking!
Chief Jensen
Thanks for the information.
Looks like it might have been in the 300 range.Wish some group could take the big theater on the ocean back to a performance venue of some sort.
The theater is now the Open Door Chapel (Non-denominational Christian church, unaffiliated), the school is just something that the church operates. The church has a very small congragation. It still looks like a theater on the inside, utilizes the old chairs. The roof is leaky but we keep patching it.
I remember the theater and it’s different statges of life, of course being the proverbial porn palace at one time. I also remember standing room services as a church.
Thanks.
Were the buildings attached to either side of the church/theater added after the theater closed? Am I correct that if THE TIDE (light commuter rail) ever extends from Norfok to Virginia Beach it would use the tracks just a little South of the church?
Sure would be nice to have photos from the past and present, both inside and out and more info.
Bob Jensen
Manteno, Illinois
Wilder Theatres opened the Princess theatre on November 22nd, 1963 with “Under the Yum Yum Tree”
April 2024, in the process of demolition. The auto dealer across the boulevard has wanted the space for extra parking for decades. Not sure what’s in store. Sad to see her go.