Allen Theatre

208 West Main Street,
Farmington, NM 87401

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The Allen Theatre was built on the site of the former Allen Opera House that was destroyed by fire in 1922. The first talkies were played at the Allen Theatre in 1937 and they installed their first concession stand in the Allen Theatre in 1947.

The two story building was in a cream color with decorative blocks running down the front . A triangular-shaped marquee with “Allen” on each side. A ton of neon runs all over the marquee. The Allen Theatre closed in the 1970’s, when the Allen Theatres chain started acquiring other theatres and building multi-screen theatres of their own.

Contributed by Chuck Van Bibber

Recent comments (view all 13 comments)

lostmemory on October 24, 2007 at 9:35 am

The Allen Cameo Theatre is located at 734 W Broadway, Farmington, NM. There is also a listing for Allen Theatres at 208 West Main Street. Could it be office space for Allen Theatres?

kencmcintyre on October 24, 2007 at 10:01 am

I think with a suite number it must be.

lostmemory on October 24, 2007 at 10:24 am

Good point, I didn’t think of that. So far, function could be beauty salon and office space. The $64 question is, what is located in Suite A if there is one?

DonLewis on February 24, 2008 at 3:00 pm

Dirty Harry is back! A 1988 photo of the colorful and unique Allen Theater in Farmington showing “The Dead Pool”

DavidZornig on March 11, 2009 at 5:47 pm

So if “Mystery Alaska” which came out in 1999, is pictured on the marquee in Lost Memory’s inauguaral 2005 post, when did the Allen Theater finally close?
The theater header/bio still indicates “closed in the 1970’s”.
Don Lewis' 1988 “The Dead Pool” pic also debunks that time frame.

lostmemory on March 11, 2009 at 6:05 pm

Maybe the theater closed and opened again. A web search returns a number of businesses at this address including Allen Theatres. One of life’s mysteries. :)