Showplace Theatre
1063 Grant Street,
Buffalo,
NY
14207
1063 Grant Street,
Buffalo,
NY
14207
1 person
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The Unity Theatre was a second-run theatre in the Black Rock section of Buffalo, not far from Buffalo State College. Last showed movies in the early-1980’s.
It was renovated as a venue for concerts, but this closed around 2007.
Contributed by
Loub
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The above site shows the Showplace when it was used for movies.
http://www.pbase.com/kjosker/image/39115642
This site shows the theatre as it looks today.
There has been a theater at 1065 Grant St since 1912. Originally known as the Tryit Theater,
in the 1920s it became the New Tryit and was probably rebuilt in this period. It then became
the Unity Theater, a name that was kept until early 1970s. It was run by the Gammel Chain
for a number of years, often running Polish and Hungarian films, along with second run
films. The Unity became the Showplace in 1972, and began showing $1.00 second runs.
This was the last single screen, second run theater in Buffalo, finally closing in the later
1980s. It became a rock concert venue after that.
This was the Showplace in 1985.
In the 1960’s, a truck ran into the front of the building. The marquee then landed on top of the truck. The truck stayed there several weeks because no one knew how to remove it. I still remember going by and seeing people squeeze by the truck to get into the show.
Also when I was a kid my parents wouldn’t let me go there because something terrible happened to a kid in the mens bathroom. It could of been an urban legend, but everyone knew about it.
I saw many movies there for $1.00 in the 1970’s and early 1980’s. The last year they were showing movies, they made the admission price 50 cents. The lines were at least 3 blocks long.
Theater is For Sale today on Craigslist. Ad says rock venue closed four years ago, and building needs work.
thanks for all the info guys..i am current owner of the showplace theatre in buffalo ny and would hope for help or someone to open it as a performing arts center, comedy, concert and classic film house.feel free to contact me at thanks again
The Showplace was showing 2nd run films well into the nineties. I remember seeing Little Man Tate there in 92 and other films after that. I remember the odd Mens restroom where you had to go downstairs to this small room with 70s movie posters plastered on it like The Spy Who Loved Me. I think it finally became a concert venue in either 1995 or 1996. They removed the first ten rows of seats for standing room close to the stage and installed a bar against midway up from the stage on the left hand side. In addition to seeing a lot of movies here I also saw a lot of concerts including the Cramps.
Last time I drove by The Showplace it had a for sale sign for anyone out there who might want to take a gamble on the movie business.