Amusu Theatre
122 E. Main Street,
Chattanooga,
TN
37408
122 E. Main Street,
Chattanooga,
TN
37408
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I just checked CinemaTour and they list houses called the Amusu at both 122 E. Main and 106 W. Main. If they were two different theaters we can’t be sure which of them it was that was listed in the 1922 Cahn guide.
The Amusu was in operation at least as early as 1921, as it was listed in the moving picture theaters section of the 1922 Cahn-Hill guide, published in late 1921.
There might be a problem with the address we have listed for the Amusu. The last building on the even-numbered side of the 100 block of E. Main Street is at 110, currently occupied by the Hart Gallery. East of it is a triangular parking lot at the corner of Rossville Street, beyond which is the 200 block. I don’t think the numbers would have jumped all the way to 122 in one lot.
To add more confusion, Mike Rivest’s list of Chattanooga theaters has the Amusu at 106 West Main. It would be helpful if somebody could get hold of an old city directory, telephone book, or a Sanborn map of the area.
The Amusu Theatre was one of the local theatres that operated for the African American audiences of the day, along with the nearby Harlem, Grand and Liberty Theatres.
The Amusu Theatre seated 400 people.