Gilson Cafe & Cinema

354 Main Street,
Winsted, CT 06098

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Related Websites

Gilson Cafe Cinema (Official)

Additional Info

Previously operated by: Lockwood & Gordon Enterprises

Architects: Loomis J. Thompson

Functions: Movies

Styles: Art Deco

Previous Names: Strand Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Gilson Cafe & Cinema

Originally a vaudeville theatre, then called the Strand Theatre from 1926, and later an arcade, this old theatre has been known as the Gilson Cafe & Cinema since 1985. You can have a filling meal and then catch a movie. The balcony was recently made into a lounge theatre giving the Gilson Café & Cinema two screens.

Contributed by Roger Katz

Recent comments (view all 9 comments)

William
William on November 20, 2003 at 1:12 am

As a single screen theatre the Strand seated 888 people.

Roger Katz
Roger Katz on November 20, 2003 at 1:15 am

My above summary is wrong. I have seen a few movies at the Gilson recently as well as taken extensive photographs of the interior. The upstairs theatre was NOT a former balcony. Rather it is former office space above the lobby converted into a tiny 50 seat theatre. One door to it still has a sign for the Attorney at Law who used to work in that office on the window!

shoeshoe14
shoeshoe14 on July 24, 2008 at 12:24 am

I was passing through here last week on a cycling trip and loved the art deco touches of the marquee.

shoeshoe14
shoeshoe14 on September 4, 2009 at 8:16 pm

I was in Torrington on a bike trip yesterday and I stopped to sightsee at a cool inn downtown, across from the Warner. I was snapping pics inside by the restored carriage and on the wall was a framed poster of movies being shown at the Strand in Winsted. A nice find.

The poster said Roger Williams, Strand Winsted, Thurs-Sat, June 15-17, Tyrone Power, Alice Fay, Al Jolson in “Rose of Washington Square (1939)” / “Boyfriend (1939)” w/Jane Withers, (free prizes to lucky children), Cary Grant and Jean Arthur in “Only Angels Have Wings (1939)”, “The Jones Family in Hollywood (1939)”, Bobby Breen, Henry Armetta, Leo Carrillo in “Fisherman’s Wharf (1939)” and Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper in “Treasure Island (1934).” Also showing at the bottom is “It’s a Wonderful World (1939)” and “Ex-Champ” (1939).

shoeshoe14
shoeshoe14 on March 25, 2010 at 5:42 pm

Tiny mention of it within a dining review in Sunday’s NYTimes.

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camper
camper on October 9, 2011 at 1:58 pm

My father-in-law was the manager at the Strand both before and after World War II. Does anyone remember him or have any photos. He recently passed away at age 95. He did remember his work at the Strand fondly.

camper
camper on October 10, 2011 at 1:13 pm

By the way, my father-in-law was Paul Purdy

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on June 4, 2022 at 7:56 am

Big Screen Cinema Guide says the Strand opened in 1926. This item from Motion Picture News of October 10, 1925 was probably about it: “Winsted— L. J. Thompson of New Britain is drawing plans for the erection of theatre bldg. on Main St. Owner, John E. Panara.”

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