Melrose Theatre
2600 Franklin Road,
Nashville,
TN
37204
2600 Franklin Road,
Nashville,
TN
37204
3 people
favorited this theater
Showing 76 - 100 of 111 comments
You are so young. In 1973 I was married with 4 children. I became a grandmother in 1977..Of course I am still kicking, just not as high. I have lived a long time but I can still vividly remember the Melrose center, almost like it was just a few years ago instead of what, 63? The bowling alley had pin boys who jumped into the pits and set the pins back up. I’ll wager you have not seen that.
In 1973 I first went to work at this theatre the manager was Joe Daniel he was there for quite a while till our city manager Robert “Bob” Sokol retired,Joe became the Loews city manager and went downtown to the Loews Crescent,I left the Crescent and took over his job as manager of the Loews Melrose,were I had started out.
I really appreciate all your comments and it makes me want to go back and see for myself. There was an elementary school nearby that I attended for 1st and 2nd grade, is it still there and if so what is the name? Funny, I can’t remember that. I remember the cooling tower very well. Years later, when the legionars disease came up that water tower came to my mind.
Drove by there last week everthing looks the same,the windows on the front doors are blocked so that you cannot see in. The back parking lot has been finced in and the building behind the theatre is still there, I could not get close enough to read the sign on it.The only thing missing in back is the huge water tower that used to be used to cool the entire complex.Over all the complex looks good fresh paint all the windows in the storefronts have nice silver mini-blinds over them all closed so you cannot see in anywhere.The pool room is still in the basement just one little sign over the door you would not know if it was there if you did not know it, luckly it has been there for over 60 years so people know where it it,looks like who ever owns the property now likes to keep things low-profile.
Will update later.
You aren’t the first kid to ever sneak in a Theatre.I have caught my share and sometimes if it was some crappy G rated flick,I didn’t care as long as they were behaved.It wasn’t going to break a studio. I bet my theatre partner Tlsloews even let a few kids in.
My aunt came to stay with us while her husband was a tail gunner in the navy. She worked behind the candy counter and always gave me a mallow bar when I went. I am going to confess that a lot of times I was able to find the back door ajar and slipped in. I was only 7 years old and I didn’t think that was wrong. After all I had no money. I did drive over there one weekend and couldn’t find the place. I have a GPS now and want to try again before I get too old to drive. Thank you for your updates tisloews
Yes Patsy S. If you are referring to the house behind the theatre,Last I know there was a dance studio there,I believe it has been torn down now,I worked there in the 70’s,and as you may have read in the posts the Bowling Alley has been torn down to build an Upscale Resturant by this has not happened,thats interesting that you went to this theatre when in it was still new.I started working there when I was 15 in 1973.If you have anymore thoughts of this theatre please post them here.
My dad had a garage behind the theatre and we lived in the little house behind the garage. I went to the movies every time it changed. I have many good memories of the Melrose center, bowling alley too. This was in 1944/1945. Does anyone remember the garage?
We moved to Chattanooga in 1946 so haven’t been there for a while.
Yeah,if its got a business in it I am sure all the neat stuff is in the Nashville dump.
By the way this building is occupied now they just do not show movies so I think I will leave the exits alone.
No Mike those photos were taken after my time and LOEWS had left. I believe Martin ran it for a few years after LOEWS left town.
Get Nick to tell you about his exploring days.It is like Indiana Jones.especilly if the theatre is full of cat sized rats or birds coming at you.
You need to get a flashlight park away from the theatre and see if you can find an exit door ajar.You would have a great time serching. I bet you knew the box office girl in the picture.
The three sided marquee near the road is still there also,would like to see photos of it when it had the cool looking LOEWS neon signs on it,too bad I did not take anyphotos myself when I worked there.
In the photos you cannot see that there was a 3 sided marquee near Franklin Road,I changed these marquees many times.The marquees and sign boards are still there,just blank.
The bowling alley at the other end of the shopping center has been torn down to build an “Upscale Resturant” but this has not happened.
What no comments from Mike Rogers?
Any photos of when it was a LOEWS house would be great.
Drove by there today still looks good the whole complex has been painted recently.The marquees are still there just no movies advertised. I have not been inside since the mid 80’s to what they have done to it. I know that they shot videos in there at one time.
Another correction is that Loews ran this house from the early 60'till 1980. I believe that they had a 20 years lease with the E.B. Raskin Co. Rent was $1200.00 a month plus 33 per cent of the heat and air cost and maintenance. The bowling alley at the other end of the complex also paid 33 per cent of these costs.Plus their rent. The other 33 per cent was split between the smaller shops in the middle of the complex.I used to see the bills, some months the Maintenance costs was more than our base rent.
Joe Voglas post is uncorrect, the Melrose and Belle Meade were sister theatres not twins.The were very simular in size and design but also had their differencs.The whole shopping centers were very much alike when first built,Check out the Belle Meade site and you will see what I mean.
This theater should be listed aka Loews Melrose. Loews ran this house for a long time.
I was the manager of this theatre when it was a Loews house I was transfered to there from my job at the Loews Crescent,Asst.Manager. Any pitctures of when it was a Loews house would be great. If fact My first real job was as a doorman at this house when i was 15.I also worked at the Loews Madsion at times, it is a church now.
Like the Belle Meade, its twin, the Melrose Theatre was an Art Moderne house designed by the Nashville architectural firm Marr & Holman. The Melrose opened on July 1, 1942, according to the July 11 issue of Boxoffice Magazine. Marr & Holman also designed the adjacent shops and bowling alley.
Marr & Holman partner Joseph W. Holman was also a partner in the Crescent Amusement Company, and according to his obituary in the October 25, 1952, issue of Boxoffice Magazine, designed all the circuit’s major theaters. The obituary said that he had designed about 100 theatres altogether, for Crescent and other exhibitors.
And from the Tennessee State Library and Archives, here’s a vintage shot of the Melrose:
http://tnsos.org/tsla/imagesearch/images/3403.jpg