Majestic Theatre

DavidZornig on November 15, 2019 at 4:20 pm

History researched and compiled by Bethany Sefchick. Description courtesy the Old Photos of Central Pennsylvania & Beyond Facebook page.

“History of the I.O.O.F. Building – Philipsburg, PA

Historically referred to as the I.O.O.F (International Order of Odd Fellows) Building, the brick structure known today as Thieves Market was originally constructed at the turn of the Twentieth Century by the members of I.O.O.F.’s Magnolia Lodge, No. 602, to serve the people of the Philipsburg area. A fire partially destroyed the building on October 29, 1916, but the building was rebuilt by the Odd Fellows and remained in operation as the organization’s lodge until the early 1930s. In 1935, the building reopened as the Majestic Theater with an elaborate outdoor marquee and seating for 750 patrons, providing Philipsburg with a second theater on Front Street. The Majestic remained in operation through the 1950s, with the last documented movie being shown in 1955, though local knowledge places the theater’s closure at closer to 1959-1960. Shortly after the closing of the Majestic, the building was converted into retail space for Sam’s Furniture. Sam’s was known beyond the central Pennsylvania region for keeping and utilizing the old theater marquee, replacing the old Majestic’s oversized marquee letters with ones that read “Sam’s,” and their quirky commercials that always ended with a mariachi band of marionettes. On November 29, 1982, a fire at the Ziff’s clothing stores across the street resulted in heat damage to the old Majestic marquee. When Sam’s closed in the early 1980s, the building was purchased by Mr. Charles Navasky and used as both a warehouse and shipping facility for the topcoats and tuxedos his company manufactured. During the summer of 1999, the old I.O.O.F. building, along with 254 other structures, became part of the Philipsburg Historic District, and the District as a whole was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, ensuring its preservation. In 2007, National Furniture rented the building from Mr. Navasky, converting it back into a retail space once more. After sitting vacant for a time, the building was purchased by current owners Chris and Brandi McGarvey in 2011, and in January 2012, the McGarvey’s opened Thieves Market, a retail outlet for local crafters and artisans, antiques, and home furnishings."