Garden Theater

The Victoria Theater opened in 1923 with 592 seats. It has been in almost continuous use ever since and was renamed Garden Theater, prior to 1941.

Since around 1980, the building fell into great disrepair, including a failed steam boiler heating system, allowing for only summer operation. In June 2008, the Garden Theater was purchased by a group of community members with intent of renovating the building and giving life back to this Northern Michigan treasure.

After a few ‘bandages’ were applied during the summer months, the Garden Theater closed for extensive renovations in October 2008. Throughout the winter and spring, an incredible transformation took place and on June 18, 2009, the Garden Theater re-opened with great fanfare.

A new state-of-art heating and cooling system was added. The sound was upgraded to Dolby 5 channel digital. Brand new seats from Irwin Seating in Grand Rapids were installed and the entire assembly area was restored to its original Art Deco style brilliance. The renaissance of the Garden Theater is underway thanks to hundreds of volunteer hours, seat investors, and the incredible spirit of the local community! An army of volunteer painters took on the incredible task of replicating the many damaged Art Deco style ceiling tiles. Special thanks to John Vinkemulder, Peggy Hawley, Mary Armstrong, and Lynn Petti for their leadership of the project.

The Garden Theater will continue to show first run movies, expanding to independent films, foreign cinema and an Annual Film Festival. Live theater and music are also part of the future one improvements are made to the existing stage.

Recent comments (view all 15 comments)

lostmemory on March 10, 2008 at 11:26 am

A 2008 photo can be seen here. Is this theater still open?

cwdean on April 12, 2008 at 2:55 am

I think it may shut down in the winter off-season, but will inquire.

cwdean on April 12, 2008 at 7:46 am

The Garden Theatre is still open (it closes for the winter season) and happens to be for sale.

lostmemory on June 27, 2008 at 2:26 pm

The Garden Theater has a new owner and will open again soon. This is a recent photo.

lostmemory on July 28, 2008 at 9:03 pm

A few more photos can be seen here.

Chuck1231 on March 23, 2009 at 12:30 am

An older B&W photo of the Garden Theatre. LM I noticed in one of your photo links that the flower shop next to the theatre entrance is closed also.
View link

Joe Vogel on November 13, 2009 at 2:13 am

An interesting item form the October 7, 1974, issue of Boxoffice:

“Mr. and Mrs. Neil Haugen are interested in obtaining any information, pictures, or material anyone might have on the Garden Theatre, Frankfort. The house opened in 1923 as the Victoria Theatre. The Haugens wish to compile a history of the theatre and desire more background material than they presently have.”

The Garden Theatre’s web site has a history pagewhich also gives 1923 as the opening date, but doesn’t mention the aka. In fact, most of the history on the history page dates from 2008.

The earliest mention of the Garden I’ve found in Boxoffice is in the June 10, 1939, issue which said the Mrs. Custer C. Carland was remodeling the house. A September 14, 1940, item said that the Garden had been acquired by the Ashmun Theatres circuit.

The Garden got another remodeling in 1947, reported in the May 17 issue of Boxoffice. There were to be 700 new seats, a new marquee, a porcelain sign, new flooring and carpeting, new concessions stand, redecorating, and some structural alterations including moving the box office.

Chuck1231 on January 20, 2010 at 12:57 am

Was owned by Ashmun Theatres thru 1955.

Chuck1231 on April 15, 2010 at 3:15 am

2007 photo of the Garden Theatre.
View link

SchineHistorian on March 26, 2011 at 9:38 am

Theatre Historical Society will be visiting this theater during our 2011 Conclave – “The Michigan Roads Less Traveled” June 21-25. See the website for details www.historictheatres.org