Varsity Theater
19 S. Court Street,
Athens,
OH
45701
19 S. Court Street,
Athens,
OH
45701
3 people
favorited this theater
Across the street from the Athena Theater in the 1970’s. Usually kept cleaner than the Athena Theater. Large marquee over sidewalk featuring hundreds of chaser lights.
Contributed by
bgraham
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Recent comments (view all 14 comments)
1981 photo of the Varsity Theatre.
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1985 night photo of the Varsity Theatre.
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Boxoffice Magazine of September 24, 1949, included the Varsity in its list of recently opened theaters. The new house had 550 seats, and was being operated by Mike Chikiris.
The address for the Varsity is 19 S. Court St., it is now Cranky Joe’s Bar B Que Restaurant.
Cranky Joe’s BBQ of Athens went home with a win for Best Chicken
I research everything. LOL
This is another 1981 photo.
LM, you have too much free time on your hands!
Actually, the Varsity was located in the current Chipotle location. The address is 41 South Court Street. Taco Bell was in the location before Chipotle.
Here is a link to a picture. Notice the brick work above the sign…
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Kitch would appear to be correct. The Chipotle building matches the Varsity/Taco Bell pictures, minus the marquee. Good catch.
Here is a 1979 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/y4l2uwl
The Varsity did become a Taco Bell, then it was totally rehabbed after TB moved out and became a Chipotle in about 2008. To the left of the Varsity in the early 80’s was Mr. Bojangles bar. To the right was an alley, and a Woolworths (which has long since closed).
Across the street was The Athena. Unlike the single screen Varsity, they had taken that larger theater with a balcony and cut it into three screens. The balcony (2nd floor theater) was wide but not very deep (basically the screen was placed just past where the balcony railing ended. The lower part of the auditorium was split down the middle. In the late 1990’s The Athena was near closing when Ohio University purchased it and did a great job updating it (including the marque). It’s owned by O.U. and still operated as a theater. The university still uses it on occasion for events like the Athens Film Festival.
Also built in/near Athens was a multi-screen theater out past the University Mall. Plus Joe Edwards of Nelsonville (owner of the cable system, grocery store, radio stations, etc. in that small town) built a multi-screen theater near his radio stations between Athens and Nelsonville.
The Varsity did become a Taco Bell, then it was totally rehabbed after TB moved out and became a Chipotle in about 2008. To the left of the Varsity in the early 80’s was Mr. Bojangles bar. To the right was an alley, and a Woolworths (which has long since closed).
Across the street was The Athena. Unlike the single screen Varsity, they had taken that larger theater with a balcony and cut it into three screens. The balcony (2nd floor theater) was wide but not very deep (basically the screen was placed just past where the balcony railing ended. The lower part of the auditorium was split down the middle. In the late 1990’s The Athena was near closing when Ohio University purchased it and did a great job updating it (including the marque). It’s owned by O.U. and still operated as a theater. The university still uses it on occasion for events like the Athens Film Festival.
Also built in/near Athens was a multi-screen theater out past the University Mall. Plus Joe Edwards of Nelsonville (owner of the cable system, grocery store, radio stations, etc. in that small town) built a multi-screen theater near his radio stations between Athens and Nelsonville.