Hi-Way Theatre
2705 North Florissant Avenue,
St. Louis,
MO
63106
2705 North Florissant Avenue,
St. Louis,
MO
63106
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This was only a couple of blocks from the North 14th Street shopping district, one of the oldest and busiest in the city. It would have been at Mongomery & N. Florissant, down the street from Bellon’s Market and Carl & Marge’s Tavern. Across the street was the Super Sandwich Shop. I skateboarded in that bank parking lot in the late 60’s. Never knew there had been a theater there.
Theatre opened in May 1911.
As ken mentioned it was a really nice neighborhood house. The neighborhood was heavily populated so there must have been other circumstances other than parking for its closing.
From Boxoffice magazine, July 1957:
ST. LOUIS-The Hi-Way Theater, 1,090 seats, at 2705 North Florissant Ave., owned by Norman Probstein and others, has been closed indefinitely. This is a very fine neighborhood house under good management, but it has a real problem in lack of parking.
Theatre first appeared in City Directory of 1912.
Theatre closed in June 1957.
Further research shows the MONTGOMERY was built by O. T. Crawford. When Crawford’s empire began to fall, the Koplars took over his theatres including the Montgomery.
Harry Koplar might have had an initial investment in the Montgomery/Hi Way but it was opened and operated by the Komm Cicuirt. My grandmother worked for Sam and I have pictures of her and Sam in front of the theatre when it opened, it was located right next door to the Northwest Bank. When the theatre was demolished it became a parking lot/drive up for the bank.
Original name of the theatre was the Montgomery. Theatre renamed in 1937.
Theatre not built by Komm, but by Harry Koplar.