Strand Theatre
80 Daniels Street,
Fitchburg,
MA
01420
80 Daniels Street,
Fitchburg,
MA
01420
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2022: Still home to Palace Bowling Lanes. Looks open.
I’m not so sure that the Strand itself was converted into a bowling alley. Palace Bowling Lanes at 78 Daniels Street opened on March 5, 1937, and the Strand Theatre was still operating at least as late as 1950 when two pages of ads local businesses congratulating the house on its redecoration, appeared in the February 22 Fitchburg Sentinel.
The Sentinel of January 4, 1916, had an article mentioning the building in Cleghorn Square “…occupied by the Rambeau theater and bowling alleys, and owned by Louis N. M. DesChenes….” so it appears there was a blowing alley in the theater building quite early. The 1937 opening of the Palace might have been a re-opening.
The Strand Theatre was in operation under that name by early 1922, having been advertised in the February 10 issue of the Fitchburg Sentinel. Prior to that it had been called the Rambeau Theatre.
The house might have opened in October, 1914, as an item in the October 1 issue of the Sentinel said “[a]ll of the orchestra seats have been placed in the new Rambeau theater….” The Rambeau was advertised in the November 16 issue of the paper, so it was definitely open by then.
Google maps still shows the bowling alley there, and the roof looks new.
The Strand is listed in the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook with 600 seats, open 6 days per week. The seat count is too low.
The MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Strand in Fitchburg has an exterior photo dated May 1941. The photo is of very poor quality. The entrance was in the middle of a commercial block. There is a triangle marquee above, but it’s not possible to read the attractions posted. The Report states that the Strand is on Daniels St., and has been showing MGM product for 10 years; was built about 1925 and is in Fair condition, with 589 seats downstairs and 204 in the balcony, total: 793. It’s listed as a “Neighborhood” theatre.
The Strand was converted into a bowling alley in 1961, according to the Fitchburg Sentinel, following its sale in 1958:
The Strand Theater building, which extends from 96 to 110 Cleghorn Street and from 74 to 88 Daniels Street, one of the largest business and apartment blocks in the Cleghorn section of the city, was purchased yesterday by Mr. and Mrs. Krikor Mirijanian, 46 Beacon Street. Stamps on the transfer indicated the price was approximately $65,000. The property has been owned by the Cleghorn Realty Trust Co. headed by Gideon Magey and Jean B. Boucher. Mr. and Mrs. Mirijanian purchased the property for investment purposes. The transfer was made in the office of Baker, Baker and Bowen. The Francis J. O'Connell office at 304 Main Street handled the realty transaction.
The building has a 200 foot frontage on Cleghorn Street and has stores on the lower side with six apartments on the top side. Mr. Mirijanian said today he plans to remodel the old Strand Theater into a hall to be rented to organizations seeking quarters but plans no other major changes. The building presently houses the branch bank of the Safety Fund Bank, Nellie’s Shop, Cleghorn Taxi, Strand Cafe, M.&M. Appliance Outlet, Bishop’s Barbershop and the Launderette. A bowling alley is located on a portion of the second floor which also serves as a warehouse for the Ballroom Furniture Co. There are six apartments in the building in addition to the stores.
Listed in the 1941 and 1943 editions of Film Daily Yearbook with a seating capacity of 750. The seating capacity is given 793 in the 1950 edition of F.D.Y.