The Vogue is a beautiful relic of bygone days. It has traces of an Art Deco/Art Moderne style, but a lot has fallen into disrepair or has been changed around. There’s traces of original wall painting designs in the main theatre, and the second upstairs theatre is merely a large balcony that was converted into another theatre (it has a much smaller screen than the downstairs theatre, which has a screen of ample size). New carpet was put in quite awhile ago, but it has since become threadbare and worn, especially on the stairs. I believe the seats are indeed original, but are quite in need of repair. Many are merely hard springs covered with makeshift padding and duct tape. The exterior of the theatre is lovely, with the original marquee. The outside could be brightened a bit with some cleaning and fresh paint, but on the whole it is still striking and quite nostalgic.
On the whole, this is a great old theatre in a very peaceful and historically valuable town (Manistee was a lumber-baron’s paradise in the 19th century, and is filled with grand houses, churches, and public buildings). In the summer, Manistee gets a lot of tourism (it’s right on Lake Michigan and has historical appeal), but the locals frequent the Vogue year round. I know that we’d all like to see the Vogue spruced up… a restoration is long overdue. The highlights of the theatre include cool original tiling at the entrance and inside the lobby, original chairs, and nice lights. From what I can see, the walls originally had a very striking design which would be wonderful to reproduce… they’re highly worn now. Overall, the place needs paint inside and out, new carpets, new upholstery on the chairs, new bathrooms (they’re horribly outdated and notorious in Manistee for almost always being “Out of Order”), and an owner dedicated to its improvement and dedication.
If the price is really $275,000, that’s a steal, and I know that there are many people in Manistee (including myself) who would love to see it restored. All in all, it is a wonderful, functional theatre that could be much more classy and historical with a bit of renovation.
The Vogue is a beautiful relic of bygone days. It has traces of an Art Deco/Art Moderne style, but a lot has fallen into disrepair or has been changed around. There’s traces of original wall painting designs in the main theatre, and the second upstairs theatre is merely a large balcony that was converted into another theatre (it has a much smaller screen than the downstairs theatre, which has a screen of ample size). New carpet was put in quite awhile ago, but it has since become threadbare and worn, especially on the stairs. I believe the seats are indeed original, but are quite in need of repair. Many are merely hard springs covered with makeshift padding and duct tape. The exterior of the theatre is lovely, with the original marquee. The outside could be brightened a bit with some cleaning and fresh paint, but on the whole it is still striking and quite nostalgic.
On the whole, this is a great old theatre in a very peaceful and historically valuable town (Manistee was a lumber-baron’s paradise in the 19th century, and is filled with grand houses, churches, and public buildings). In the summer, Manistee gets a lot of tourism (it’s right on Lake Michigan and has historical appeal), but the locals frequent the Vogue year round. I know that we’d all like to see the Vogue spruced up… a restoration is long overdue. The highlights of the theatre include cool original tiling at the entrance and inside the lobby, original chairs, and nice lights. From what I can see, the walls originally had a very striking design which would be wonderful to reproduce… they’re highly worn now. Overall, the place needs paint inside and out, new carpets, new upholstery on the chairs, new bathrooms (they’re horribly outdated and notorious in Manistee for almost always being “Out of Order”), and an owner dedicated to its improvement and dedication.
If the price is really $275,000, that’s a steal, and I know that there are many people in Manistee (including myself) who would love to see it restored. All in all, it is a wonderful, functional theatre that could be much more classy and historical with a bit of renovation.