Governor Arnold of California, I think, had something to do with the ownership or partial ownership of Planet Hollywood because he came here for the grand opening for a dedication speech. This is located on the north side of the shopping complex facing Morse Road.
As best I believe that the original sign for the Sherwood was either painted or mounted on the front side of the screen nearest W. Third Street. The sign shown in the picture actually belonged to a large restaurant just on the west side of the movie theater.
Gary, you are correct. The city’s municipal building is, indeed, in the former YMCA prior to the one on Monument Avenue. That address is 101 W. Third Street and the swimming pool is still in the cellar area, having been floored over after the city got it. And, yes the third YMCA is actually where Sinclair Community College started in a separate building at the Monument YMCA site, that one being razed in about the late 70s when they moved to the present location.
Miami University of Ohio is in that town so they should have an historic cinema! Shame shame!
posted by Patsy on May 5, 2006 at 2:30am
Patsy, I think it would only be fair to tell you that Miami University of Ohio is located exactly where it was originally built way back in the early 1800s in OXFORD, Ohio. Yes, they do have a branch with a few buildings in Hamilton but this city is not it’s home.
The Crowne Plaza is on Fifth Street, a faily long distance away from 138 S. Main Street. This hotel has changed names so many times that if you blink your eyes, it will be something else. But, no, the place on Main Street where the theater was is simply a large grassy park the entire length of the block on Main, a N-S street, where the hotel is way over on the northeast corner of that block.
I would like to please add my comments. Back in the late 80s through the 90s, I was a single parent raising two kids. This was our most favorite theater and I knew Kirk well. He always spoke to us and made us feel welcomed. I distinctly remember the huge wall photo montage of all the movie stars very well. The kids and I went here just about every week through the time of the Danberry. This theater was on the RTA bus line and Danberry wasn’t. I remember it well and will always cherish the place.
Concerning Lakeside Amusement Park way out in the SW area of Dayton, I used to ride the bus from Hamilton, Ohio with my mom who played bingo here while I went out and rode the rides. This was in the 1950s and all I can remember still in operation was the roller coaster (rickity wooden model) and the Merry-Go-Round, which was nice and clean. The bingo was in what was a huge dance hall facing onto the lake. I remember the entire place being demolished in the mid 1960s.
Here is an update on this theater: I used to go to a doctor who was in this building and well remember the lobby area way back inside. I don’t believe the interior layout ever had stadium seating or the kind that slopes down toward the screen. Anyway, the owner of the building kicked the midical clinic out totally in either late 2005 or early 2006 and it has been closed with a “for lease” sign on the marquee ever since — proving that Google maps is definitely wrong. Currently it is empty but does not appear to suffer any vandalism or disrepair. The surrounding area is still really bad.
Something I want to add to my former comments: The Levins lived in a large house set back away from the street out on W. Third Street in an area called Drexel and immediately to the east of the Sherwood Twin Drive-in Theater, an adjoining property. They also owned the Dayton West further on out. It’s concession stand burned down during the winter of 1963-64 and it remained closed.
Nobdy has mentioned that this theater was razed. I’m not sure when, but it must have been in the 1970s and there is a big park there now that takes up a whole city block except for a hotel that changes names every two years or so and serves the convention center. I know this theater was there when I moved to Dayton in 1963.
I can provide the most recent information about this old theater. A fundamentalist church group known as the Better Way (sometimes they called themselves the “Garden Church”) had this building for a very few years until about a year ago before they moved around the corner to an existing church behind this building and behind a large Methodist Church on Fifth Avene. They were in the process of restoration and I was actually inside the theater part a couple of years ago in December when it was only partially redone. There was no screen or seating at that time but I was definitely sure that it had, indeed, been an actual movie theater. After moving, they gave this building back to the owner who doesn’t seem to care about it’s upkeep. Most of the storefronts in the same building are vacant and shut up, and being offered for rent. It still looks the same as in the recent photos with the restored doors and lobby. The chuch isn’t going to do anything more with it.
Please help me here. Dingoman says he actually saw a movie here in 2001 even though it was torn down in 1992! I moved out of Dayton in 1999 after the drug store had replaced the theater with their own building and it, after that, became a Family Dollar store. Maybe he meant another year for sure?
There are two references to a shooting during the showing of Boyz/Hood. Only one is correct, sorry to tell you. The shooting, which resulted in death, was at the SALEM MALL theater in 1991 and not this one.
I can tell you what is at this location now. It is only a grassy park that takes up an entire block except for a hotel that changes names every two years across from the convention center.
Some things I can add to the comments:
1. The theater was definitely a wider building than the McDonalds that replaced it.
2. Bexley is an arrogant city within Columbus and their codes prevented the McDonalds from looking like a typical one. It was a square box format with NO arches whatsoever.
3. Also their codes prevented any normal signage, just a simple small one out front.
4. Bexley residents are “too good” to eat at McDonalds and thus the reason for their demise here.
During that $17.5 million restoration, I could see the interior. The ‘Lost Memory’ photo showing the front outside is exactly as it originally was, but the complete interior had been gutted and started over from scratch. For awhile, it had the appearance of one of those bombed out buildings in Germany during World War II. The finished work is super excellent and anyone going to Dayton should definitely go in a look around.
I was able to see the Salem Mall in December of last year. The entire mall, except for Sears & Roebuck, lay in rubble on the ground. The theater is obviously gone. My understanding is that the mall is to be rebuilt but I have no idea if it is to have a movie theater.
That may be true about there being a Loews at 125 N. Main Street but the original description of this theater is that it was across a driveway from Northtown Shopping Center — very far from downtown!
So the address could never have been 125. This location is quite a bit north of Siebenthaler Avenue and up very close to Forest Park Shopping Center, the site of a former amusement park.
In my opinion, the first two comments are not accurate. If this site is fit for all the modern multiplex theaters with dozens of screens, then this one sure fits right in. It is a nice theater and the admission is cheap. I agree with Sam Church.
Back in the 90s, I remember the management of this theater going through all the bags people carry in, inspecting them for food. They had this obsession with you buying ONLY the over-priced stuff from their concession stand. This was the only theater I ever knew to do this. I have a feeling that this contributed to their downfall.
My first “second” job I ever had in Dayton in 1963 was in the concession stand of the north screen, the newest one. Later, I worked as Assistant Manager of the Dayton West, also owned by the same brothers down the street. Incidentally, the Levin brothers lived in a large house located next door to the east of the Sherwood Twin.
Governor Arnold of California, I think, had something to do with the ownership or partial ownership of Planet Hollywood because he came here for the grand opening for a dedication speech. This is located on the north side of the shopping complex facing Morse Road.
Please, are there any photos?
As best I believe that the original sign for the Sherwood was either painted or mounted on the front side of the screen nearest W. Third Street. The sign shown in the picture actually belonged to a large restaurant just on the west side of the movie theater.
Gary, you are correct. The city’s municipal building is, indeed, in the former YMCA prior to the one on Monument Avenue. That address is 101 W. Third Street and the swimming pool is still in the cellar area, having been floored over after the city got it. And, yes the third YMCA is actually where Sinclair Community College started in a separate building at the Monument YMCA site, that one being razed in about the late 70s when they moved to the present location.
Miami University of Ohio is in that town so they should have an historic cinema! Shame shame!
posted by Patsy on May 5, 2006 at 2:30am
Patsy, I think it would only be fair to tell you that Miami University of Ohio is located exactly where it was originally built way back in the early 1800s in OXFORD, Ohio. Yes, they do have a branch with a few buildings in Hamilton but this city is not it’s home.
The Crowne Plaza is on Fifth Street, a faily long distance away from 138 S. Main Street. This hotel has changed names so many times that if you blink your eyes, it will be something else. But, no, the place on Main Street where the theater was is simply a large grassy park the entire length of the block on Main, a N-S street, where the hotel is way over on the northeast corner of that block.
I would like to please add my comments. Back in the late 80s through the 90s, I was a single parent raising two kids. This was our most favorite theater and I knew Kirk well. He always spoke to us and made us feel welcomed. I distinctly remember the huge wall photo montage of all the movie stars very well. The kids and I went here just about every week through the time of the Danberry. This theater was on the RTA bus line and Danberry wasn’t. I remember it well and will always cherish the place.
Concerning Lakeside Amusement Park way out in the SW area of Dayton, I used to ride the bus from Hamilton, Ohio with my mom who played bingo here while I went out and rode the rides. This was in the 1950s and all I can remember still in operation was the roller coaster (rickity wooden model) and the Merry-Go-Round, which was nice and clean. The bingo was in what was a huge dance hall facing onto the lake. I remember the entire place being demolished in the mid 1960s.
Here is an update on this theater: I used to go to a doctor who was in this building and well remember the lobby area way back inside. I don’t believe the interior layout ever had stadium seating or the kind that slopes down toward the screen. Anyway, the owner of the building kicked the midical clinic out totally in either late 2005 or early 2006 and it has been closed with a “for lease” sign on the marquee ever since — proving that Google maps is definitely wrong. Currently it is empty but does not appear to suffer any vandalism or disrepair. The surrounding area is still really bad.
Something I want to add to my former comments: The Levins lived in a large house set back away from the street out on W. Third Street in an area called Drexel and immediately to the east of the Sherwood Twin Drive-in Theater, an adjoining property. They also owned the Dayton West further on out. It’s concession stand burned down during the winter of 1963-64 and it remained closed.
Nobdy has mentioned that this theater was razed. I’m not sure when, but it must have been in the 1970s and there is a big park there now that takes up a whole city block except for a hotel that changes names every two years or so and serves the convention center. I know this theater was there when I moved to Dayton in 1963.
I can provide the most recent information about this old theater. A fundamentalist church group known as the Better Way (sometimes they called themselves the “Garden Church”) had this building for a very few years until about a year ago before they moved around the corner to an existing church behind this building and behind a large Methodist Church on Fifth Avene. They were in the process of restoration and I was actually inside the theater part a couple of years ago in December when it was only partially redone. There was no screen or seating at that time but I was definitely sure that it had, indeed, been an actual movie theater. After moving, they gave this building back to the owner who doesn’t seem to care about it’s upkeep. Most of the storefronts in the same building are vacant and shut up, and being offered for rent. It still looks the same as in the recent photos with the restored doors and lobby. The chuch isn’t going to do anything more with it.
Please help me here. Dingoman says he actually saw a movie here in 2001 even though it was torn down in 1992! I moved out of Dayton in 1999 after the drug store had replaced the theater with their own building and it, after that, became a Family Dollar store. Maybe he meant another year for sure?
I hate to tell you this but the photo does not exist at either link posted above. Does anyone have a photo?
I hate to tell you this but the photo is at neither one of the links posted above. Does anybody else have a photo?
There are two references to a shooting during the showing of Boyz/Hood. Only one is correct, sorry to tell you. The shooting, which resulted in death, was at the SALEM MALL theater in 1991 and not this one.
I can tell you what is at this location now. It is only a grassy park that takes up an entire block except for a hotel that changes names every two years across from the convention center.
Some things I can add to the comments:
1. The theater was definitely a wider building than the McDonalds that replaced it.
2. Bexley is an arrogant city within Columbus and their codes prevented the McDonalds from looking like a typical one. It was a square box format with NO arches whatsoever.
3. Also their codes prevented any normal signage, just a simple small one out front.
4. Bexley residents are “too good” to eat at McDonalds and thus the reason for their demise here.
I believe you ought to know that you are spelling the name of the street wrong. It is BRANDT PIKE, a major thoroughfare.
During that $17.5 million restoration, I could see the interior. The ‘Lost Memory’ photo showing the front outside is exactly as it originally was, but the complete interior had been gutted and started over from scratch. For awhile, it had the appearance of one of those bombed out buildings in Germany during World War II. The finished work is super excellent and anyone going to Dayton should definitely go in a look around.
I was able to see the Salem Mall in December of last year. The entire mall, except for Sears & Roebuck, lay in rubble on the ground. The theater is obviously gone. My understanding is that the mall is to be rebuilt but I have no idea if it is to have a movie theater.
That may be true about there being a Loews at 125 N. Main Street but the original description of this theater is that it was across a driveway from Northtown Shopping Center — very far from downtown!
So the address could never have been 125. This location is quite a bit north of Siebenthaler Avenue and up very close to Forest Park Shopping Center, the site of a former amusement park.
In my opinion, the first two comments are not accurate. If this site is fit for all the modern multiplex theaters with dozens of screens, then this one sure fits right in. It is a nice theater and the admission is cheap. I agree with Sam Church.
Back in the 90s, I remember the management of this theater going through all the bags people carry in, inspecting them for food. They had this obsession with you buying ONLY the over-priced stuff from their concession stand. This was the only theater I ever knew to do this. I have a feeling that this contributed to their downfall.
My first “second” job I ever had in Dayton in 1963 was in the concession stand of the north screen, the newest one. Later, I worked as Assistant Manager of the Dayton West, also owned by the same brothers down the street. Incidentally, the Levin brothers lived in a large house located next door to the east of the Sherwood Twin.