My Uncle Charles Karabetsos owned the Theater from about 1960 to his retirement in the 80’s, I worked at the theater from the early 60’s while in High School and later through my college years at Marquette University.
While showing him My son’s wireless laptop, I entered Venetian Theater Milwaukee, and he was quiet pleased (he’s close to 90 now) to see the old building in its better years, the Marquee which had the large Venetian name was not on the Theater as I recall in the early 60’s, there was a marquee that projected over the sidewalk, this is where you could list the coming and current attractions, it was removed in the late 70’s or early 80’s as I remember under a program that Milwaukee had for such hanging signs.
My uncle never operated a furniture company, the first business was a catalogue sales company (popular in the late 1950’s and into the 60’s. This was a general merchandise company, the interior was quiet difficult to work around, the slanting floors and high ceiling, in 1960 he put a suspended ceiling in the auditorium, this held up for about 10 years more or less as the roof always leaked.
He sold a variety of items, almost like a general store, during the Holiday season he had a very large toy department, this was prior to Toy’s R Us. The decline in toy sales and the impact of competition always presented new challenges, he used the stage area for warehousing of Proctor And Gamble soap items for the Coin Op. laundry business, the upper area was rented for several years to a person who sold sewing machines and developed a brush stroke technique to show how the “masters” painted on canvas, he attempted suicide after a partner embellished money from the company, for 20 years time stood still with all his stuff, occasionally we would salvage something to use for a sign or a part. In the 70’s we were able to obtain a liquor license, the seating area was left un-heated and used to warehouse large quantities of soda, beer and soap. The front or lobby became a neighborhood grocery and liquor store. My uncle sold the building and liquor business in either the late 80’s or early 90’s and since then I believe it has been closed entirely. In all the years that I worked there I don’t think I ever took a picture.
What’s quiet interesting is that I travel to Cuba under a Treasury license, in Cuba there are many old Movie theaters still operating, I will occasionally go to a movie, just to experience the grandeur of a 1000 set movie theater, the over-stuffed seats, no leg room rows.
Dear Mr. Rankin
My Uncle Charles Karabetsos owned the Theater from about 1960 to his retirement in the 80’s, I worked at the theater from the early 60’s while in High School and later through my college years at Marquette University.
While showing him My son’s wireless laptop, I entered Venetian Theater Milwaukee, and he was quiet pleased (he’s close to 90 now) to see the old building in its better years, the Marquee which had the large Venetian name was not on the Theater as I recall in the early 60’s, there was a marquee that projected over the sidewalk, this is where you could list the coming and current attractions, it was removed in the late 70’s or early 80’s as I remember under a program that Milwaukee had for such hanging signs.
My uncle never operated a furniture company, the first business was a catalogue sales company (popular in the late 1950’s and into the 60’s. This was a general merchandise company, the interior was quiet difficult to work around, the slanting floors and high ceiling, in 1960 he put a suspended ceiling in the auditorium, this held up for about 10 years more or less as the roof always leaked.
He sold a variety of items, almost like a general store, during the Holiday season he had a very large toy department, this was prior to Toy’s R Us. The decline in toy sales and the impact of competition always presented new challenges, he used the stage area for warehousing of Proctor And Gamble soap items for the Coin Op. laundry business, the upper area was rented for several years to a person who sold sewing machines and developed a brush stroke technique to show how the “masters” painted on canvas, he attempted suicide after a partner embellished money from the company, for 20 years time stood still with all his stuff, occasionally we would salvage something to use for a sign or a part. In the 70’s we were able to obtain a liquor license, the seating area was left un-heated and used to warehouse large quantities of soda, beer and soap. The front or lobby became a neighborhood grocery and liquor store. My uncle sold the building and liquor business in either the late 80’s or early 90’s and since then I believe it has been closed entirely. In all the years that I worked there I don’t think I ever took a picture.
What’s quiet interesting is that I travel to Cuba under a Treasury license, in Cuba there are many old Movie theaters still operating, I will occasionally go to a movie, just to experience the grandeur of a 1000 set movie theater, the over-stuffed seats, no leg room rows.
Thanks for making this post possible.
Steve Faytis
Sanibel Florida