Park Theatre
2610 Lafayette Boulevard,
Norfolk,
VA
23509
2610 Lafayette Boulevard,
Norfolk,
VA
23509
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First mentioned in the newspapers in 1927.
Plans for the Park Moving Picture Theatre were drawn in 1920 by architect A. O. Ferebee. The project was commissioned by E. J. Reass.
The Park Theater as it is now … as a church! Blasphemy! Before they closed the regional film exchanges (about 1974)the locals “4-walled” the place and showed an odd mix of old movies from the local exchange there on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I saw 35MM prints of THE VAMPIRE’S GHOST and a bunch of similarly obscure genre films there. God I loved that place!
I am 99% sure that this is where I saw my first film, ever- a re-release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" I’m pretty sure it was the 30 year release in 1969. I know that Lafayette Blvd. was close to my grandparent’s house and the Lafayette Club, where we used to swim. No one who was with me (my Nana and my Mom) are around to ask, but from what I remember, that’s the place. Does anyone know if this was close to a Chinese restaurant? Not Si Gi, but the other one??
We lived in the neighborhood and as children in the 40’s, we never missed a Saturday at the Park Theatre. It was ten cents to get in. Saturday was the only day we went to the movie and it always featured a cowboy flick and a never ending short serial story that kept us coming back.
LEVINE THEATRICAL ENTERPRISES is the chain for this theatre, one of about a dozen first class theatres.