Hippodrome Theatre
610-612 South Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19147
610-612 South Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19147
1 person
favorited this theater
The Ripley Music Hall opened in 1909 on South Street near 6th Street and could seat just over 500. The theater was later renamed the Hippodrome Palace Theatre, which was later shortened to just the Hippodrome. In 1925, the firm of Hodgens & Hill was hired to remodel the Hippodrome. The theater closed in the 30s. A Tower Records now stands on the site of the Hippodrome.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
The Tower store building was a rock venue under the Ripley Music Hall name during the first half of the 1980s. Before that it had been a menswear store called Ripley for quite a few years.
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I thought this was Grendel’s Lair in the early 80s. Was the Ripley Music Hall in the same block of South Street?
Well, I went through all of the Philadelphia theaters listed and didn’t find the one I was looking for. During the 1981 Septa strike, I used to ride my bike from 44th and Walnut to Broad and Snyder (!) to go to work. Part of my route took me down South Street from around 20th to Broad, where I would turn right to go to South Philly. At that time, South Street from the river to about Sixth was a lively area. After Sixth, though, the neighborhood deteriorated. If I recall, on South between Fifteenth and Sixteenth there was a ghost of a movie theater in a block full of abandoned buildings. I can’t think of the name of the theater to save my life, but it had obviously been closed a long time. I looked forward to seeing that old theater every time I had to pedal through Center City, cursing Septa all the way. If anyone remembers this theater, or knows if the site has been renovated, let me know. Thanks.
ken mc, This more than likely was the Royal Theatre, opened in 1920 at 1524 South Street, designed by architect Frank E. Hahn. The exterior was a Neo-Georgian and the interior designed by William H. Lee was an Art Deco. It was opened as American’s Finest Colored Playhouse. It seated 1200.
You are absolutely right. The Royal was the name of the theater. Thanks for the information, Charles. I can stop wondering about that place after twenty years.
A Wurlitzer theater organ opus 1160 style “B” was installed in the Hippodrome Theater on 9/19/1925.