Paramount Theatre

167 Main Street,
Brattleboro, VT 05301

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Paramount Pictures Inc.

Functions: Office Space, Retail

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Paramount Theatre (Brattleboro, VT)

The Paramount Theatre was opened on October 20, 1937 with Irene Dunne in “High, Wide and Handsome”. It was designed by Nathan E. Goldstein who also operated the theatre. It was operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary N. Goldstein. Gutted in a fire in 1991, the Paramount building now houses a bicycle shop in the lobby area and the auditorium has been converted into office space.

Contributed by Dave Bonan

Recent comments (view all 14 comments)

spectrum
spectrum on July 23, 2008 at 9:08 am

The only remaining interior artifacts are the movie poster cases along the outer lobby, now filled with bicycle posters. The bicycle shop is in the former lobby area. The auditorium portion was so badly burned it had to be gutted and has been converted to offices. One hall wall has a large mural depicting the fire. Some of the brick walls were left bare, showing the scorch marks from the fire.

shoeshoe14
shoeshoe14 on July 23, 2008 at 6:58 pm

I was here last week on a cycling trip. Yes, the bike shop is in front and the other lobby store is “Save the Corporations for Themselves” clothing store and there’s an elevator in the back with many offices upstairs. It feels modern and open now. The bottom floor’s facade is a grey stucco and the top floor is a grey brick, the left side is red brick with fire escapes.

The mural in the back has the theatre on fire with a fireman in the watch. The marquee says, “Nightly 7” and “Dances with Wolves”. The center of the mural has many rows of the auditorium seats and to the left another pic of the marquee that says, “The Fire April 30, 1991, 7&9”.

Don Lewis
Don Lewis on November 22, 2010 at 1:16 am

From the 1950s a photo postcard view of the Paramount Theatre in Brattleboro.

spectrum
spectrum on March 26, 2011 at 9:21 pm

1940?? I had always thought the Paramount opened sometime in the 1920s, based on the decor, but my memory isn’t the best. At any rate, it’s a shame it’s gone.

GeorgeWC
GeorgeWC on December 31, 2012 at 9:19 pm

My grandfather was the first manager of the Paramount in Brattleboro in the late 1930s. His family was in Springfield, MA while he worked in Brattleboro. He later moved to Northampton, MA and managed the Calvin Theatre.

rsalters (Ron Salters)
rsalters (Ron Salters) on June 5, 2015 at 1:52 pm

The Theatre Historical Society archive has the MGM Theatre Report for the Paramount; it’s Card # 572. Address is “Main St.” There is an exterior photo dated May 1941. Condition is Excellent. It says the theater opened 1937 and is not showing MGM product. 700 seats.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on October 28, 2018 at 2:56 pm

6 photos added. One from 1952 is particularly clear.

rivest266
rivest266 on June 5, 2020 at 5:15 am

This opened on October 20th, 1937. Grand opening ad posted.

SethG
SethG on August 27, 2022 at 2:47 pm

As stated on one of the photo captions, the original building was constructed in 1850. The 1885 Sanborn calls it the Williston Block. The old comment about the facade is wrong. It’s not brick, but granite. The original building ended about where the stone lintels stop in the alley. The 1919 map shows the area where the auditorium would be built partially occupied by a two story wooden grocery warehouse.

spectrum
spectrum on August 3, 2023 at 9:26 pm

I remember the auditorium being long and narrow, with ornamental pillars along the sidewalls and curtains between them, and a small shelf balcony in the back.

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