Bryn Mawr Theatre

“Bryn Mawr Avenue was named in the 1880s by Edgewater developer John Lewis Cochran after Bryn Mawr station on the Main Line north of Philadelphia.[2] Bryn Mawr is Welsh for Big Hill.”

Here is a view of the back wall of the theater building seen from the Bryn Mawr “L” stop, with the name of the theater still barely visible.

I walked down the alley today. One of the original exit doors was cracked open a little bit. I peaked inside. It looks like the auditorium is being used as a storage space. Perhaps some type of auto repair garage. The door wasn’t open too much but I did hear some noise if as though it was a repair garage. Lots of junk inside. Hopefully, one day, the door will be propped open some more so I can get a better view. There is a church somewhere in the building but definitely not in the auditorium space.

Does anyone know if there are any pictures available of the original marquee?

A 2/6 Wurlitzer D was insalled in the theatre in 1912

Dont forget to take pictures

By the way, the theatre front entrance is currently a gift shop. The auditorium is still in the back (it can be seen from the train platform) but I don’t know what it is being used for. One of these days I will venture through the back alley and check it out.

The year given for this photo is 1984.

That’s kind of an odd double feature. Strange Brew was a vehicle for the McKenzie Brothers, from SCTV. Kind of a one-joke act. Then of course you have the Rocky fans going to see him beat up Clubber Lang for the eleventh time.

Here is a 1983 photo. Currently, I see a Dunkin Donuts store but no church, unless it’s in one of the store fronts next to the donut place.
http://tinyurl.com/cm4vqe

For a short time the Bryn Mawr was called teh Gar Wah Theater. They showed a double feature of Chinese movies followed by an English-language porn film. I have a color slide of the marquee which reads:

Gar Wah Theater
Hanky Panky begins 9PM

Gary

I only remember seeing a few films at the New Bryn Mawr, after it’s short lived run as the Gar Wah. “Robocop” & “Action Jackson” were the last I recall. Possibly on the same bill. Which had to be near the end of the New Bryn Mawr’s run itself.
Like the Howard Theatre, there was a roof access door visible from the “L” tracks that seemed eternally propped open. I don’t remember anything particularly classic about the Bryn Mawr’s lobby or auditorium.

There was a neighborhood tavern a few doors West called Newman’s. Which had it’s own colorful cast of characters. Business men heading home mixed with blue collar types, old timers with one eyed lap dog’s at the bar, etc.

The historic Bryn Mawr hotel adorned in ornate green enamel brick, is a half block to the East on the North side of the street. The rest of the area has seemed to be in an eternal, aimless transition for over 20 years. Long vacant storefronts, with spurts of new yet classicly designed construction in both directions on Bryn Mawr.
This area from Foster to Devon is technically called East Edgewater.
Uptown is South of Foster, Rogers Park is North of Devon.
It also includes Old Balmoral, though that’s really kind of West of Broadway.
Plus whatever new names come with the addition of any given condo/townhome developments. Like the 10 sub-names in Barrington now.

In 1986 I was on the East Edgewater Chamber of Commerce. Whose main office was in the white building just East of the “L”. There were some chamber members who justifiably abhorred the term “the corridor”, when it was then used to describe Kenmore & Winthrop from Thorndale to Foster. Arson & other crimes had been prevalant in the early `80’s.
And they were adamant about changing the impression of the area through word of mouth & hopeful development.
Which was thin back then.