Landmark Main Art Theatre
118 N. Main Street,
Royal Oak,
MI
48067
118 N. Main Street,
Royal Oak,
MI
48067
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Went through Royal Oak to visit some friends this afternoon. I couldn’t believe the Main Art has been totally demolished. What looks like an apartment complex is now being built on that site.
As of yesterday, this theater has been demolished. The landlord would not entertain offers to buy the property or to lease the space and has decided to build mixed use (condos/retail/offices) at the location. Despite attempts to save it via a non-profit group, the Royal Oak City Planning and City Commission approved its demolition.
I made a return visit to Royal Oak a few weeks ago (I now live in Charlotte) and figured this theater closed, since I saw a homeless man sleeping by the door outside. Now what I just read here confirms it. Shame.
Among the films I saw at the Main Art were: “JFK” (1991) “Driving Miss Daisy” (1990; rereleased as part of Warner Bros.‘ 75th anniversary celebration in 1998) “The Big Chill” (1983; rereleased in 1998 for the film’s 15th anniversary) “A Hard Day’s Night” (1964; 1999 Miramax rerelease with restored mono soundtrack) “Topsy Turvy”(2000)
RIP, Main Art. You will be missed
Landmark Theatres Circuit announced that the theatre had closed temporarily on April 23, 2021 and then announced on June 13, 2021 that the closure would be permanent at the end of a leasing agreement after an 80-year run.
According to a Detroit Free Press article, this theater reopened as the Main Art Theatre on Oct. 15, 1993 and went through $950,000 renovation via a partnership between Mike Mihalich (who owns MJR Theatres) and Landmark Theatres.
It was a second-run house prior to that. Screen counts are 516, 390, and 200. A 37-ft screen is in auditorium 1, while 2 and 3 have 35-ft screens.
The three movies that premiered on Oct. 15 were “Like Water For Chocolate”, “Bad Behaviour”, and “Especially On Sunday”.
A seminal experience in my movie going, from 1957-1963 I went to Saturday matinees where horror and sci fi films like THE BLOB, I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF, I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS and so many others inflamed my young imagination. Those “shape changers” were particularly scary.
Here’s a little-known fact on this theater: In 1980, it became the very first theater in the MJR chain.
Blogger Detroit Funk says that this theatre was threatened with demolition to make room for a condo project, but the deal has fallen through. He has marquee and lobby pictures (the last one is a really nice under-the-marquee shot) here.
A very nice venue; had some trepidation going in thinking that the original auditorium had been altered but was pleasantly surprised to see it still intact. Two smaller and less decorative auditoria were built on in the later 1980s. Flicks from 2010: Lobby, Facade
I saw SHORT CUTS at this theatre in November, 1993 in 70mm. I missed by one day a 70mm screening of BARAKA in one of the other 2 theatres.
Later, the same day, I saw GETTYSBURG at a different Detroit theatre, making for an almost 8-hour 70mm day! Don’t think that will ever happen again!
I wonder, especially in view of the rumors of closing that have surfaced over the last few years, and in light of Landmark’s recent theater closings in some other cities, if this theater will survive as construction has begun on Emagine Entertainment’s ten-plex nearby – especially if the new theater books some of Landmark’s traditional arthouse fare.
I was just in the area last week and decided to take in a flick while the place is still standing. It’s remarkable to me what little has changed since I first worked there 15 years ago. The ol' place is still fighting it out.
Picture as of Ocotber of 2007
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I believe the current plan is to utilize the theater space for parking or additional add-ons at the rear of the development. All I’ve heard, though, is that as soon as the lease is up, they’re done.
Looks like the condos might have been built next door. Or, I suppose, they might have decided to only build ½ condo towers due to market conditions.
God save the Main Art.
I don’t know that I could bear to have another childhoodadolescent memory of mine wind up as a pile of rubble.
What is the current status of this theater? Last I heard, it was threatened by demolition. If it’s gone (or soon to be gone), it truly is a shame.
How about another photo:
http://tinyurl.com/2v7wdj
It may not be a theatre much longer. Good authority has it that the building is to be razed and high rise condos built on the site. The new building is supposedly going to have a theatre built into it, but it won’t have the charm of the old structure….and parking will be even more of a problem than in the past. Sigh!
The Main is now a triple screener. Two smaller auditoriums were added on to the original main theatre.