Lovejoy Theatre

The address for the Lovejoy Theatre was 1020 E. Lovejoy Street, Buffalo, Ny.

There used to be two theatres on Lovejoy.....when the new Lovejoy opened, the old Lovejoy closed and remained abondoned for mnay years. I think the the city took it over for unpaid taxes.

The old Theater is now an indoor swimming pool. It was converted in the mid 1980s and has served that purpose ever since.

A photo is available at:

http://www.pbase.com/kjosker/image/28117473

Under the photo that is found on the pbase.com site it reads "This theater has been converted to an indoor swimming pool; there is very little on the inside to suggest that it was ever a theater. The staff are warm and welcoming, and are eager to show anyone around." I'm sure this is very true, but those of us who have studied former theatres can tell that the doors to this indoor swimming pool are most definitely signs of it being a former theatre and a big tip off to that fact!

This is the address for the Lovejoy Pool:

1171 E Lovejoy St
Buffalo, NY 14206

I've never made it to this former theatre, but will try this summer and report back here.

If your going there in the summer, bring your bathing suit. :)

LOL! I thought about adding that comment to my post! I think the original looking front doors are beautiful so I look forward to seeing them. They remind me of what one might have seen at the old Greyhound Bus Terminals. Check out www.roadsidearchitecture.com

The Lovejoy Pool is featured in the book Silent Screens by Michael Putnam.

Located at 1171 Lovejoy, phone number 1960: HUmboldt 8310

There were actually three Lovejoy Theaters. (And because of renumbering of Lovejoy St, there may
some address confusion). The first theater was a storefront, known as the Lovejoy Palace. This
opened around 1909, and closed in the teens. The second Lovejoy was opened in 1919 by Sam
Rappaport. He also ran the nearby Avon for some years. This Lovejoy was closed in the 1940s,
but soon after this family opened the New Lovejoy at 1169 Lovejoy. This was an Art Deco Theatre
designed by William Spann. This was the last new, single screen theater, built in the city of
Buffalo. The Rappaport ran the show until 1975. New owners reopened the theater and ran
it until 1979. Later the City took it over, and converted it into an indoor swimming pool.
The second Lovejoy was a grocery for time, its present status unknown.

That is interesting. The information in the introduction above is really combining at least two of the Lovejoy theaters into one. That information should be changed.

In 1935 there is a 341 seat Lovejoy theater listed for Buffalo, NY. That is probably the second Lovejoy theater. In 1955 there is an 800 seat Lovejoy theater listed at the address given above. That information could be used in the introduction.