smroz
commented about
1918on
Mar 13, 2018 at 8:05 am
I love seeing these old photos. This was a beautiful theater in its heyday but on the decline by the ‘50s. My best friend and I were in grade school then and would walk to the theater every Saturday, too. It says a lot about the neighborhood that our parents never gave it a second thought.
My husband and I salvaged a few chunks of cast terra cotta from the demolition site. I think I was going to a co-worker’s shower out on the South side – must have been the same summer as the demo – and DH (bin diver that he is) drove by and scrounged whatever he could. My mom and dad used to go there; she always told me how beautiful it was. I hope this site stays alive – I found it through a search for the Peoples theater (47th & Ashland) where we went as kids in the ‘50s. My girlfriend and I would walk from 55th and Hermitage to the movies on Saturday – 25c for under twelve.
You’re making me homesick. I was born and grew up at 1716 Garfield and we often walked to the Boulevard, which was just west of the corner soda shop. I distinctly recall seeing “Monolith Monsters” (‘57) and possibly “Colossus of New York” ('58) there. It may have closed soon after; I remember it re-opening as a ballroom but I never went inside. Our other favorite haunt was the Peoples theater, just west of Ashland on 47th St. It eventually closed and re-opened as an indoor flea market.
I love seeing these old photos. This was a beautiful theater in its heyday but on the decline by the ‘50s. My best friend and I were in grade school then and would walk to the theater every Saturday, too. It says a lot about the neighborhood that our parents never gave it a second thought.
My husband and I salvaged a few chunks of cast terra cotta from the demolition site. I think I was going to a co-worker’s shower out on the South side – must have been the same summer as the demo – and DH (bin diver that he is) drove by and scrounged whatever he could. My mom and dad used to go there; she always told me how beautiful it was. I hope this site stays alive – I found it through a search for the Peoples theater (47th & Ashland) where we went as kids in the ‘50s. My girlfriend and I would walk from 55th and Hermitage to the movies on Saturday – 25c for under twelve.
You’re making me homesick. I was born and grew up at 1716 Garfield and we often walked to the Boulevard, which was just west of the corner soda shop. I distinctly recall seeing “Monolith Monsters” (‘57) and possibly “Colossus of New York” ('58) there. It may have closed soon after; I remember it re-opening as a ballroom but I never went inside. Our other favorite haunt was the Peoples theater, just west of Ashland on 47th St. It eventually closed and re-opened as an indoor flea market.