According To The Haines City Historical Society, The Mar-Lea Theatre was built in 1921 a few months after the Wray Drugstore and Hotel Next door.
The Mar-Lea Theatre was built by Baseball great Tommy Leach’s son, Nelson Leach and his brother-in-law, Vance Marquis from Bartow.
The theatre was a one story building and later expanded in 1924 seating 300 patrons. It originally showed silent movies until “talkies” were invented around 1930. Previously silent movies had been shown in a small building on Railroad Avenue, so it was a big hit for area citizens to watch new movies, news reels, and shorts of the day in a new modern building.
Tommy Leach and his family took over ownership and operated the theatre until the building was gutted by a fire around 1937. Victor Wray purchased the land in 1940 and expanded his building for the drugstore and hotel with one storefront on Sixth Street.
Went To This Theater Recently And It’s Pretty Much A Relic Of The 1990’s. The Theater (Along With The Mall Itself) As Never Been Remodeled Since It’s Opening. Making The Eagle Ridge Mall Theater Rather Dated Compared To Other Theaters In The Area.
According To The Haines City Historical Society, The Mar-Lea Theatre was built in 1921 a few months after the Wray Drugstore and Hotel Next door.
Turning The Building To What It Is Today.
Went To This Theater Recently And It’s Pretty Much A Relic Of The 1990’s. The Theater (Along With The Mall Itself) As Never Been Remodeled Since It’s Opening. Making The Eagle Ridge Mall Theater Rather Dated Compared To Other Theaters In The Area.