Associated Independent Theatres (A.I.T.) Circuit had launched the Brick Plaza Theatre on October 8, 1964 in the expansion of the Brick Plaza Shopping Center. Its success spurred this second theatre designed by Charles H. Gottwalt. When conceptualized in 1966, it was given the working project name of Brick Plaza South. By the time the cinema opened, it was called The Mall Cinema and was in the Kennedy Shopping Mall directly across the Brick Plaza. The Mall Cinema launched as a single-screen theatre for A.I.T. on April 2, 1969 with “Gone with the Wind.” The 800-seat theatre matched the new colonial architectural style of its neighbor.
Music Makers Circuit took on the theatre and created the two-screen operation, Mall Cinema 1 and 2, beginning on December 22, 1971 with “Carnal Knowledge” and “Diamonds are Forever.” The Brick Plaza Theatre also twinned on October 15, 1975.
On May 27, 1976, that the Mall Cinema became a triplex, the Mall Cinema 1, 2 & 3. It was Ocean County’s first triplex.
On October 11, 1985, the Mall Cinema became the Cinema Centre 5. On January 2, 1987, the Music Makers Theatres became Loews Theatres. Loews vacillated between the name of Cinema Center 5 and Cinema Centre 5. The theatre was operated under the circuit’s Sony Theatre nameplate from 1994 from 1999 before reverting to its final two years as the Loews Cinema Centre 5. On March 26, 2001, Loews closed the theatre with Cast Away, Chocolat, Crouching Tiger, Hannibal, Recess, Sweet November and the Wedding Planner.
The Binghamton Plaza opened theatre-less on August 20, 1964 anchored by W.T. Grants. On August 20, 1971, the theatre launched as part of Carrolls Development Corp. / Carrolls Equities Corp. Circuit and Cinema National. The theatre was an automated twin-screen facility opening as Carrols Cinema Twin 1 & 2 – Binghamton Plaza. The theatre replaced the Manor House Bowling Lanes. The auditoriums had 352 seats each and the mayor was on hand for the ribbon cutting followed by the films, “McCabe & Mrs. Miller” and “The Omega Man.”
USACinemas took over Cinema National operations on November 7, 1986 calling the theatre the Binghamton Plaza 1 & 2. In December of 1989, Loew’s took on the facility. It reduced it to sub-run discount status on May 6, 1994. After a year and a half of discount operation, Loew’s closed the theatre in October of 1995.
A year later, it re-emerged as the $1.49 Binghamton Plaza Theaters relaunching on December 6, 1996 with “Last Man Standing” and “Long Kiss Goodnight.” Operating in its final months as the Binghamton Plaza Theatre, the facility closed on October 28, 2001 showing “Shrek,” “Princess Diaries” and “Jeepers Creepers” on Screen 1 and “American Pie 2” and “Rush Hour 2” on Screen 2. It had fulfilled its 30-year lease.
Closed after showings on December 31, 1983, the theatre was offered for sale for $59,000. A last ditch effort by a businessman to restore the theatre occurred in January of 2000 but the city’s building inspectors appear to have advised against it.
The architects of the Empress Theatre were Proudfoot, Bird and Rawson built in 1913 for B.F. Elbert & J.A. Getchell. The new build theatre cost $150,000 and launched on September 14, 1913. The theatre’s animated neon sign – the first in Des Moines – was said to be a crowd attractor and wowed the locals.
On March 5, 1921, the theatre relaunched as the Pantages Theatre playing films exclusively. On October 16, 1921, the theatre became the Sherman Theatre under the new management of Harry A. Sherman who switched the venue back to live vaudeville. On August 27, 1922, the theatre switched vaudeville shows to the Orpheum Circuit and the theatre was renamed the Orpheum Theatre.
RKO closed out the theatre’s vaudeville days on May 24, 1931 for a refresh and the theatre re-emerged as the RKO Orpheum relaunching with movies on August 29, 1931 with Barbara Stanwyck in “The Miracle.” Stage show entertainment designed to accompany feature films continued into the 1940s. A streamline makeover of the theater’s interior in 1936 wiped away the original charm of the theatre but added air conditioning and revitalized the theatre. The theatre closed on September 26, 1965 with a showing of “Shennandoah.”
Under Dubinky Brothers management in 1965, the theatre became the Galaxy Theatre and the balcony was quickly walled off, the Orpheum sign was removed and the Galaxy signage installed. The theatre relaunched on October 8, 1965 with “The Great Spy Mission.” The theatre closed on April 24, 1977 with a double feature of “Squirm” and “Food of the Gods.” In June of 1977, an ad offered all of the fixtures for a demolition sale after which it was demolished in 1977. Like many theatres, the demolition of the former Empress proved to be a much more time consuming and difficult process as the theatre held tight as the wrecking ball swung. But on August 7, 1977, the theatre could take no more and the crew finished the job in August of 1977. The theatre became home to a parking lot.
The Grand Theatre replaced the former Comet Theatre which was razed. The Grand launched August 25, 1915 with “The Heart of a Painted Woman.” Fox dropped the house and, after a period of independent operation, Standard Theatres took on the house renaming it the Packer Theatre on October 7, 1939. Bathed in the NFL' team’s green and gold, the Packer was given a streamline moderne makeover. It relaunched as the Pix Theatre on November 3, 1950. The Pix closed in 1954. In 1955, the space was retrofitted as an Osco Drugs retail store.
The trade press reports the opening of the Strand Theatre at 14 Coryell Street in 1915. It had a 14x18' gold fibre screen and Seeburg Orchestral at its launch. The theatre was enlarged ten years later.
The Lucky Twin Theatre was a $750,000 operation architected by John A. Madison and was purportedly the first in the nation equipped with four-track stereophonic sound. Even though that’s highly questionable, the theatre’s sound system combined with widescreen, curved outdoor screens measuring 64' by 128' showed attention to presentation.
The theatre launched June 4, 1955 – though not as its formal grand opening – as only one of the two screens was ready. The first films were to be “Son of Sinbad” and “The Conqurer.” However, “Son of Sinbad” was the official first film and congratulatory telegrams came in from Hollywood including those from John Wayne, Barbara Stanwyck,Dale Robertson, Dick Powell and Jane Russell. On July 4, 1955, the second screen was ready and the official Grand Opening took place.
In-car heaters came in giving the the theatre year-round operation. And then things got a bit strange…. or stranger if you think year-round operation in Minnesota is normal.
Cranfill H. Cox opened in September of 1952. He also operated the two downtown Gilmer theatres – the Strand and the Crystal. The Carol Drive-In closed at the end of the 1961 season likely fulfilling a 10-year leasing agreement. The drive-in was torn town in 1967 making room for the local airfield.
Designed to be the first Jerry Lewis Cinema in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, bankruptcy of the circuit delayed the intended November 1, 1973 opening to February 8, 1974 when the theatre opened independently as the Safari Twin Cinema with the films, “Sounder” and “On Any Sunday.” The theatre was not a success and closed. It reopened with a second grand opening on May 23, 1975 under Texas Amusement Circuit. The theatre did not stay open continuously.
NTAC took on the theatre with a road show engagement of “Gone With The Wind” changing the name of the theatre to G.P. (Grand Prairie) Cinema I & II in January of 1976. New operators in April of 1976 changed it to the Safari Cinemas. The theatre got what appears to be its fifth and final new management in November of 1976 trying again as a sub-run, discount theatre called the New Safari Cinema 1 & 2. But like those who had come before them, the Safari did not bag its audience and appears to have closed after three years and five operators. In the 2010s, the venue was home to the Bibleway Apostolic Family Church.
The Buena Vista launched August 22, 1968 with the film, “Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?” In 1976, the Buena Vista showed two X-rated films, “Misty Beethoven” and “Alice in Wonderland” finding an audience but also prompting a boycott, action by the landlord of the Northgate Plaza Shopping Center banning “obscene” content, and finally a police raid while the film was showing the X-Rated, “Through the Looking Glass” in March of 1977. Giving in to pressure, the Buena Vista management attended an open meeting and adopted a new “G” rated only policy to the cheers of Irving. And the citizenry stopped coming to the theatre altogether with the Buena Vista closing prior to its tenth anniversary.
Launched June 11, 1964 with the films, “Island of the Blue Dolphins” and “The Raiders.” The ozoner added swap meets in the afternoon hours. Ads for the drive-in are discontinued during the 1980 season and the site was demolished in 1981. The Anheuser Busch Entertainment / Children’s Television Workshop opened a $10 million Sesame Street-themed Sesame Place Amusement Park on the site in June of 1982. It was the second such amusement park – larger than the Pennsylvania original – and part of a projected major launch of Sesame Places. Despite the Muppets best efforts, this location’s failure tapped the brakes on the ambitious roll out of Sesame Places.
The original Irving Theatre on Main Street was opened in September of 1924 likely on a 15-year lease. Operator E.R. Lawrence sold the theatre on August 26, 1935 to Hans Smith. Smith opted to build the New Irving Theatre, a streamlined moderne facility, launching in 1939. After a period of vacancy, I believe this theatre became the Rio Theatre closing under that name. It was converted for other retail purposes.
This facility replaced the former Irving Theatre on Main Street which had opened in September of 1924 likely on a 15-year lease. Owner Hans Smith opted to build the New Irving Theatre, a streamlined moderne facility, launching in 1939. The 600-seat house’s interior and at least one wall was decimated by fire on August 7, 1941 and rebuilt with a new interior adding 40 feet to the structure as a 730-seat theatre relaunching in the Fall of 1941. Purchased by the Meagher Circuit in 1959, the theatre was redecorated. Meagher closed the theatre in 1972.
The Lyric Theatre launched as a 235-seat venue in 1914. In 1917, the Allred family became the theater’s third operator. At the end of what appeared to be a 20-year lease, the theatre was closed briefly and given a streamlined makeover with seating expanded relaunching as the Allred in 1935. The theatre was given a new projection system in 1939. The Allred was basically destroyed by an April 27, 1942 tornado. It was rebuilt and relaunched as a 400-seat house in November of 1942.
These neighboring theaters lasted over 100 years in downtown Galesburg. Their origins date back to at least 1910 and were operated by the same management at that time. A similar twin concept was found in Decatur, Illinois with the same company and theatre names. The Galesburg property had previously been home to a hook and ladder fire company building dating back at least to the 1870s.
The hook and ladder building was replaced by the Colonial and Colonnade theaters. Both Prairie Street theaters got new owners in 1913 and were given major makeovers if not entirely rebuilt the following year. Under the operation of Lafayette “Lafe” Weinberg, the Colonial expanded from 300 seats becoming a 44'x100', 700-seat theatre with a 16'x20' screen launching November 1, 1914 with a marble lobby and new auditorium. The theatre became part of the Publix Great States Theatres Circuit in 1922 along with the West Theatre and the nearby Orpheum Theatre.
Publix Great States agreed to close the Colonial in 1951 with equipment offered for sale after a forced sale under the Paramount decree. In 1954, the former Colonial was used as a church. It also had a long period of vacancy until resurrected by the Kerasotes Circuit.
The neighboring Colonnade Theatre was purchased by Willard J. West in 1913 and renamed the West Theatre expanding its seating to 800 and was supposed to have opened three weeks after the launch of the Colonial in November of 1914. The West Theatre appears to have actually debuted early in 1915 under the slogan, “House of Quality.” It had a Bartola played by Alma Burgman of Fort Madison, Iowa. On the second floor was the West Ball Room for dancing which appears to have lasted 20 years. As the building was headed for demolition in 2019, a video shot showed the piano still housed in the long-abandoned ballroom. As noted, Publix Great States Theatres took on the West Theatre and updated its look including a new foyer and concession stand in 1959.
Kerasotes took on the West Theatre as well as the Orpheum on December 28, 1972 as ABC Great States left Galesburg after operating the West for 50 years. The theater received a new front in 1974. In 1982, Kerasotes Circuit decided that two twin-screen operations were superior to single-screeners. Kerasotes had taken on the West Theatre’s neighbor, the Colonial, creating the West Twin Cinemas from the former Colonnade/present West and the moribund Colonial. Kerasotes had already discontinued the single-screen Galesburg drive-in and shuttered the high-visibility Orpheum Theatre in 1982 in favor of the West Twin. The Circuit would build an addition to the Sandburg Mall in 1982 that brought about a brand new twin screen theater in that mall.
The West Twin Cinema and the Sandburg Mall Cinema were both closed on December 18, 2003 when Kerasotes Circuit opened their new Showplace 8 multiplex, not far from the Sandburg Mall a day later on December 19, 2003. The West closed with little fanfare despite being opened for more than 90 years. And the building got one more chance. In 2017, AMC – which inherited the Colonial-Colonnade / West Twin property in 2010 when it bought out the Kerasotes Circuit – sold the historic theatres to a local businessman for $100.
However, the 100-plus year old’s building condition was poorer than anticipated and the building was donated to the city of Galesburg in June of 2018. On January 7, 2019, the City Council approved a bid to demolish the historic theatres to create a green space.
The Sandburg Mall opened theatre-less on October 1, 1975. The mall was expanded twice, the first of which was in 1982 bringing about the Kerasotes Circuit’s twin-screen Sandburg Mall Cinema near the J.C. Penney anchor. The Circuit would close the long-running and high-visibility Orpheum in favor of running two twin-screen operations creating both this theatre and adding a second screen to its downtown West Theatre.
As the end of its initial 20-year lease at Sandburg Mall was approaching, Kerasotes next decided to close both of its twin-screen operations as it constructed a new multiplex not far from the Sandburg Mall. The Cinema closed on December 18, 2003 along with the West Twin Cinema. The new Kerasotes ShowPlace 8 opened the next day on December 19, 2003.
The Sandburg Mall went into a steep decline as 30-year leases lapsed and original tenants departed. The mall cinema then became home to a church, an events center featuring live shows, a discount theatre launched by the Blue Moon Drive-In operators running just three months from September of 2007 to December 19, 2007, and a haunted house operation.
The theatre was going to be razed in 2017 as a plan to convert the entire mall into an outdoor shopping complex. That plan didn’t materialize and the entire interior of the mall was locked September 29, 2018 after the final interior store, a GNC Vitaman shop, closed. The mall soldiered on with just two exterior-facing businesses, a car repair shop and a U-Haul rental shop as of 2019. There was little hope that the Sandburg Mall Cinema or any other stores would be resurrected.
Kerasotes Theatres launched the ShowPlace 8 on December 19, 2003 to replace two aging twin-screen locations in town. The ShowPlace replaced the nearby Sandburg Mall Cinema 1 & 2 and the downtown West Cinema 1 & which both concluded operations on Dec. 18, 2003.
Built as the First Congregation Church in 1844, Toledo exhibitor W.C. Bettis – who built such early Toledo photoplay theaters as Colonial Theatre and the Alhambra Theatre – declared the era of the nickelodeon over. “[Nickelodeons] will give way to the large, commodius, ventilated and handsomely theatres equipped expressly for exhibition purposes.”
Bettis put his money where his mouth was converting the church into the “temple of motion pictures” with patrons getting around three hours of original film content for their admission ticket. It launched as the Temple Theatre, a silent house on May 9, 1914 with Jack London’s “Sea Wolf.” It was next door to the long-running and famous Boody Hotel and across the street from the County Building once housing one of the city’s main post offices.
OnFebruary 25, 1927, the silent house turned to Vitaphone sound system and renamed the “Vita Temple” Theatre. The theatre’s experience with Vitaphone was substandard and the theatre switched to Movietone in September of 1927. After the demise of the Boody, the building of the Second National Bank Tower upgraded the neighborhood while launching a banking building trend in the city.
But on February 10, 1933, a spate of 30 fires around Toledo broke out but none more spectacular than the destruction of the Vita Temple Theatre in the early hours. The final showings were on February 9, 1933 and the fire occurred while the theater was closed. BTW: The building’s “short life” mentioned in the paragraph above was a mere 89 years of operation with its final nearly twenty years as a motion picture theatre. Not a bad run.
On October 19, 1925, the remodeled theatre relaunched as the Liberty Theatre. On November 7, 1932, the Liberty became the Mayfair Theatre before becoming the Roxy Theatre.
The Brelco Theater was a live venue that opened December 7, 1989 in downtown Paducah. The upstairs venue closed in April 28, 1996. The space was converted for retail use and the theatre portion became apartments.
Associated Independent Theatres (A.I.T.) Circuit had launched the Brick Plaza Theatre on October 8, 1964 in the expansion of the Brick Plaza Shopping Center. Its success spurred this second theatre designed by Charles H. Gottwalt. When conceptualized in 1966, it was given the working project name of Brick Plaza South. By the time the cinema opened, it was called The Mall Cinema and was in the Kennedy Shopping Mall directly across the Brick Plaza. The Mall Cinema launched as a single-screen theatre for A.I.T. on April 2, 1969 with “Gone with the Wind.” The 800-seat theatre matched the new colonial architectural style of its neighbor.
Music Makers Circuit took on the theatre and created the two-screen operation, Mall Cinema 1 and 2, beginning on December 22, 1971 with “Carnal Knowledge” and “Diamonds are Forever.” The Brick Plaza Theatre also twinned on October 15, 1975.
On May 27, 1976, that the Mall Cinema became a triplex, the Mall Cinema 1, 2 & 3. It was Ocean County’s first triplex.
On October 11, 1985, the Mall Cinema became the Cinema Centre 5. On January 2, 1987, the Music Makers Theatres became Loews Theatres. Loews vacillated between the name of Cinema Center 5 and Cinema Centre 5. The theatre was operated under the circuit’s Sony Theatre nameplate from 1994 from 1999 before reverting to its final two years as the Loews Cinema Centre 5. On March 26, 2001, Loews closed the theatre with Cast Away, Chocolat, Crouching Tiger, Hannibal, Recess, Sweet November and the Wedding Planner.
The Binghamton Plaza opened theatre-less on August 20, 1964 anchored by W.T. Grants. On August 20, 1971, the theatre launched as part of Carrolls Development Corp. / Carrolls Equities Corp. Circuit and Cinema National. The theatre was an automated twin-screen facility opening as Carrols Cinema Twin 1 & 2 – Binghamton Plaza. The theatre replaced the Manor House Bowling Lanes. The auditoriums had 352 seats each and the mayor was on hand for the ribbon cutting followed by the films, “McCabe & Mrs. Miller” and “The Omega Man.”
USACinemas took over Cinema National operations on November 7, 1986 calling the theatre the Binghamton Plaza 1 & 2. In December of 1989, Loew’s took on the facility. It reduced it to sub-run discount status on May 6, 1994. After a year and a half of discount operation, Loew’s closed the theatre in October of 1995.
A year later, it re-emerged as the $1.49 Binghamton Plaza Theaters relaunching on December 6, 1996 with “Last Man Standing” and “Long Kiss Goodnight.” Operating in its final months as the Binghamton Plaza Theatre, the facility closed on October 28, 2001 showing “Shrek,” “Princess Diaries” and “Jeepers Creepers” on Screen 1 and “American Pie 2” and “Rush Hour 2” on Screen 2. It had fulfilled its 30-year lease.
Another former operator – Carrols Development Corp.
Appears to have closed on October 15, 1995 with a triple feature of “Dangerous Minds,” “Judge Dredd” and “Species.”
Closed after showings on December 31, 1983, the theatre was offered for sale for $59,000. A last ditch effort by a businessman to restore the theatre occurred in January of 2000 but the city’s building inspectors appear to have advised against it.
The architects of the Empress Theatre were Proudfoot, Bird and Rawson built in 1913 for B.F. Elbert & J.A. Getchell. The new build theatre cost $150,000 and launched on September 14, 1913. The theatre’s animated neon sign – the first in Des Moines – was said to be a crowd attractor and wowed the locals.
On March 5, 1921, the theatre relaunched as the Pantages Theatre playing films exclusively. On October 16, 1921, the theatre became the Sherman Theatre under the new management of Harry A. Sherman who switched the venue back to live vaudeville. On August 27, 1922, the theatre switched vaudeville shows to the Orpheum Circuit and the theatre was renamed the Orpheum Theatre.
RKO closed out the theatre’s vaudeville days on May 24, 1931 for a refresh and the theatre re-emerged as the RKO Orpheum relaunching with movies on August 29, 1931 with Barbara Stanwyck in “The Miracle.” Stage show entertainment designed to accompany feature films continued into the 1940s. A streamline makeover of the theater’s interior in 1936 wiped away the original charm of the theatre but added air conditioning and revitalized the theatre. The theatre closed on September 26, 1965 with a showing of “Shennandoah.”
Under Dubinky Brothers management in 1965, the theatre became the Galaxy Theatre and the balcony was quickly walled off, the Orpheum sign was removed and the Galaxy signage installed. The theatre relaunched on October 8, 1965 with “The Great Spy Mission.” The theatre closed on April 24, 1977 with a double feature of “Squirm” and “Food of the Gods.” In June of 1977, an ad offered all of the fixtures for a demolition sale after which it was demolished in 1977. Like many theatres, the demolition of the former Empress proved to be a much more time consuming and difficult process as the theatre held tight as the wrecking ball swung. But on August 7, 1977, the theatre could take no more and the crew finished the job in August of 1977. The theatre became home to a parking lot.
The Grand Theatre replaced the former Comet Theatre which was razed. The Grand launched August 25, 1915 with “The Heart of a Painted Woman.” Fox dropped the house and, after a period of independent operation, Standard Theatres took on the house renaming it the Packer Theatre on October 7, 1939. Bathed in the NFL' team’s green and gold, the Packer was given a streamline moderne makeover. It relaunched as the Pix Theatre on November 3, 1950. The Pix closed in 1954. In 1955, the space was retrofitted as an Osco Drugs retail store.
The trade press reports the opening of the Strand Theatre at 14 Coryell Street in 1915. It had a 14x18' gold fibre screen and Seeburg Orchestral at its launch. The theatre was enlarged ten years later.
The Lucky Twin Theatre was a $750,000 operation architected by John A. Madison and was purportedly the first in the nation equipped with four-track stereophonic sound. Even though that’s highly questionable, the theatre’s sound system combined with widescreen, curved outdoor screens measuring 64' by 128' showed attention to presentation.
The theatre launched June 4, 1955 – though not as its formal grand opening – as only one of the two screens was ready. The first films were to be “Son of Sinbad” and “The Conqurer.” However, “Son of Sinbad” was the official first film and congratulatory telegrams came in from Hollywood including those from John Wayne, Barbara Stanwyck,Dale Robertson, Dick Powell and Jane Russell. On July 4, 1955, the second screen was ready and the official Grand Opening took place.
In-car heaters came in giving the the theatre year-round operation. And then things got a bit strange…. or stranger if you think year-round operation in Minnesota is normal.
Cranfill H. Cox opened in September of 1952. He also operated the two downtown Gilmer theatres – the Strand and the Crystal. The Carol Drive-In closed at the end of the 1961 season likely fulfilling a 10-year leasing agreement. The drive-in was torn town in 1967 making room for the local airfield.
Designed to be the first Jerry Lewis Cinema in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, bankruptcy of the circuit delayed the intended November 1, 1973 opening to February 8, 1974 when the theatre opened independently as the Safari Twin Cinema with the films, “Sounder” and “On Any Sunday.” The theatre was not a success and closed. It reopened with a second grand opening on May 23, 1975 under Texas Amusement Circuit. The theatre did not stay open continuously.
NTAC took on the theatre with a road show engagement of “Gone With The Wind” changing the name of the theatre to G.P. (Grand Prairie) Cinema I & II in January of 1976. New operators in April of 1976 changed it to the Safari Cinemas. The theatre got what appears to be its fifth and final new management in November of 1976 trying again as a sub-run, discount theatre called the New Safari Cinema 1 & 2. But like those who had come before them, the Safari did not bag its audience and appears to have closed after three years and five operators. In the 2010s, the venue was home to the Bibleway Apostolic Family Church.
The Buena Vista launched August 22, 1968 with the film, “Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?” In 1976, the Buena Vista showed two X-rated films, “Misty Beethoven” and “Alice in Wonderland” finding an audience but also prompting a boycott, action by the landlord of the Northgate Plaza Shopping Center banning “obscene” content, and finally a police raid while the film was showing the X-Rated, “Through the Looking Glass” in March of 1977. Giving in to pressure, the Buena Vista management attended an open meeting and adopted a new “G” rated only policy to the cheers of Irving. And the citizenry stopped coming to the theatre altogether with the Buena Vista closing prior to its tenth anniversary.
Launched June 11, 1964 with the films, “Island of the Blue Dolphins” and “The Raiders.” The ozoner added swap meets in the afternoon hours. Ads for the drive-in are discontinued during the 1980 season and the site was demolished in 1981. The Anheuser Busch Entertainment / Children’s Television Workshop opened a $10 million Sesame Street-themed Sesame Place Amusement Park on the site in June of 1982. It was the second such amusement park – larger than the Pennsylvania original – and part of a projected major launch of Sesame Places. Despite the Muppets best efforts, this location’s failure tapped the brakes on the ambitious roll out of Sesame Places.
The original Irving Theatre on Main Street was opened in September of 1924 likely on a 15-year lease. Operator E.R. Lawrence sold the theatre on August 26, 1935 to Hans Smith. Smith opted to build the New Irving Theatre, a streamlined moderne facility, launching in 1939. After a period of vacancy, I believe this theatre became the Rio Theatre closing under that name. It was converted for other retail purposes.
This facility replaced the former Irving Theatre on Main Street which had opened in September of 1924 likely on a 15-year lease. Owner Hans Smith opted to build the New Irving Theatre, a streamlined moderne facility, launching in 1939. The 600-seat house’s interior and at least one wall was decimated by fire on August 7, 1941 and rebuilt with a new interior adding 40 feet to the structure as a 730-seat theatre relaunching in the Fall of 1941. Purchased by the Meagher Circuit in 1959, the theatre was redecorated. Meagher closed the theatre in 1972.
The Lyric Theatre launched as a 235-seat venue in 1914. In 1917, the Allred family became the theater’s third operator. At the end of what appeared to be a 20-year lease, the theatre was closed briefly and given a streamlined makeover with seating expanded relaunching as the Allred in 1935. The theatre was given a new projection system in 1939. The Allred was basically destroyed by an April 27, 1942 tornado. It was rebuilt and relaunched as a 400-seat house in November of 1942.
The Allred Theatre at right April27, 1942 after a tornado virtually destroyed the theatre.
These neighboring theaters lasted over 100 years in downtown Galesburg. Their origins date back to at least 1910 and were operated by the same management at that time. A similar twin concept was found in Decatur, Illinois with the same company and theatre names. The Galesburg property had previously been home to a hook and ladder fire company building dating back at least to the 1870s.
The hook and ladder building was replaced by the Colonial and Colonnade theaters. Both Prairie Street theaters got new owners in 1913 and were given major makeovers if not entirely rebuilt the following year. Under the operation of Lafayette “Lafe” Weinberg, the Colonial expanded from 300 seats becoming a 44'x100', 700-seat theatre with a 16'x20' screen launching November 1, 1914 with a marble lobby and new auditorium. The theatre became part of the Publix Great States Theatres Circuit in 1922 along with the West Theatre and the nearby Orpheum Theatre.
Publix Great States agreed to close the Colonial in 1951 with equipment offered for sale after a forced sale under the Paramount decree. In 1954, the former Colonial was used as a church. It also had a long period of vacancy until resurrected by the Kerasotes Circuit.
The neighboring Colonnade Theatre was purchased by Willard J. West in 1913 and renamed the West Theatre expanding its seating to 800 and was supposed to have opened three weeks after the launch of the Colonial in November of 1914. The West Theatre appears to have actually debuted early in 1915 under the slogan, “House of Quality.” It had a Bartola played by Alma Burgman of Fort Madison, Iowa. On the second floor was the West Ball Room for dancing which appears to have lasted 20 years. As the building was headed for demolition in 2019, a video shot showed the piano still housed in the long-abandoned ballroom. As noted, Publix Great States Theatres took on the West Theatre and updated its look including a new foyer and concession stand in 1959.
Kerasotes took on the West Theatre as well as the Orpheum on December 28, 1972 as ABC Great States left Galesburg after operating the West for 50 years. The theater received a new front in 1974. In 1982, Kerasotes Circuit decided that two twin-screen operations were superior to single-screeners. Kerasotes had taken on the West Theatre’s neighbor, the Colonial, creating the West Twin Cinemas from the former Colonnade/present West and the moribund Colonial. Kerasotes had already discontinued the single-screen Galesburg drive-in and shuttered the high-visibility Orpheum Theatre in 1982 in favor of the West Twin. The Circuit would build an addition to the Sandburg Mall in 1982 that brought about a brand new twin screen theater in that mall.
The West Twin Cinema and the Sandburg Mall Cinema were both closed on December 18, 2003 when Kerasotes Circuit opened their new Showplace 8 multiplex, not far from the Sandburg Mall a day later on December 19, 2003. The West closed with little fanfare despite being opened for more than 90 years. And the building got one more chance. In 2017, AMC – which inherited the Colonial-Colonnade / West Twin property in 2010 when it bought out the Kerasotes Circuit – sold the historic theatres to a local businessman for $100.
However, the 100-plus year old’s building condition was poorer than anticipated and the building was donated to the city of Galesburg in June of 2018. On January 7, 2019, the City Council approved a bid to demolish the historic theatres to create a green space.
That’s a picture of the building across the street from the Palace Theatre. The Palace Theatre was demolished.
The Sandburg Mall opened theatre-less on October 1, 1975. The mall was expanded twice, the first of which was in 1982 bringing about the Kerasotes Circuit’s twin-screen Sandburg Mall Cinema near the J.C. Penney anchor. The Circuit would close the long-running and high-visibility Orpheum in favor of running two twin-screen operations creating both this theatre and adding a second screen to its downtown West Theatre.
As the end of its initial 20-year lease at Sandburg Mall was approaching, Kerasotes next decided to close both of its twin-screen operations as it constructed a new multiplex not far from the Sandburg Mall. The Cinema closed on December 18, 2003 along with the West Twin Cinema. The new Kerasotes ShowPlace 8 opened the next day on December 19, 2003.
The Sandburg Mall went into a steep decline as 30-year leases lapsed and original tenants departed. The mall cinema then became home to a church, an events center featuring live shows, a discount theatre launched by the Blue Moon Drive-In operators running just three months from September of 2007 to December 19, 2007, and a haunted house operation.
The theatre was going to be razed in 2017 as a plan to convert the entire mall into an outdoor shopping complex. That plan didn’t materialize and the entire interior of the mall was locked September 29, 2018 after the final interior store, a GNC Vitaman shop, closed. The mall soldiered on with just two exterior-facing businesses, a car repair shop and a U-Haul rental shop as of 2019. There was little hope that the Sandburg Mall Cinema or any other stores would be resurrected.
The Grove Theatre closed in March of 1960 and was converted to the Congregation of the Calvary Assembly of God Church.
Kerasotes Theatres launched the ShowPlace 8 on December 19, 2003 to replace two aging twin-screen locations in town. The ShowPlace replaced the nearby Sandburg Mall Cinema 1 & 2 and the downtown West Cinema 1 & which both concluded operations on Dec. 18, 2003.
Built as the First Congregation Church in 1844, Toledo exhibitor W.C. Bettis – who built such early Toledo photoplay theaters as Colonial Theatre and the Alhambra Theatre – declared the era of the nickelodeon over. “[Nickelodeons] will give way to the large, commodius, ventilated and handsomely theatres equipped expressly for exhibition purposes.”
Bettis put his money where his mouth was converting the church into the “temple of motion pictures” with patrons getting around three hours of original film content for their admission ticket. It launched as the Temple Theatre, a silent house on May 9, 1914 with Jack London’s “Sea Wolf.” It was next door to the long-running and famous Boody Hotel and across the street from the County Building once housing one of the city’s main post offices.
OnFebruary 25, 1927, the silent house turned to Vitaphone sound system and renamed the “Vita Temple” Theatre. The theatre’s experience with Vitaphone was substandard and the theatre switched to Movietone in September of 1927. After the demise of the Boody, the building of the Second National Bank Tower upgraded the neighborhood while launching a banking building trend in the city.
But on February 10, 1933, a spate of 30 fires around Toledo broke out but none more spectacular than the destruction of the Vita Temple Theatre in the early hours. The final showings were on February 9, 1933 and the fire occurred while the theater was closed. BTW: The building’s “short life” mentioned in the paragraph above was a mere 89 years of operation with its final nearly twenty years as a motion picture theatre. Not a bad run.
On October 19, 1925, the remodeled theatre relaunched as the Liberty Theatre. On November 7, 1932, the Liberty became the Mayfair Theatre before becoming the Roxy Theatre.
The Brelco Theater was a live venue that opened December 7, 1989 in downtown Paducah. The upstairs venue closed in April 28, 1996. The space was converted for retail use and the theatre portion became apartments.