West Theatre
317 N. Central Avenue,
Duluth,
MN
55807
317 N. Central Avenue,
Duluth,
MN
55807
3 people
favorited this theater
Related Websites
West Theatre (Official)
Additional Info
Architects: Perry E. Crosier
Functions: Live Performances, Movies (Classic), Movies (First Run)
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Previous Names: Duluth Theatre, Duluth Spirit Valley Theatre, Duluth Another Theatre
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
218.606.1211
Nearby Theaters
The West Theatre opened December 25, 1937 with Charles Ruggles in “Turn Off the Moon”. Seating listed at 497. The West Theatre closed in May 1966.
It reopened as the Duluth Theatre in June 1966. On October 3, 1975 it was renamed Duluth Spirit Valley Theatre which closed in early 1977. It reopened as the Duluth Another Theatre, screening adult movies into the early-1980’s. It was offered ‘For Sale’ on December 6, 1980 and was converted to a retail store called Quilters Coop.
It was renovated and reopened as the West Theatre on June 21, 2019 with Janet Gaynor in “A Star Is Born”.
Contributed by
Chuck
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Recent comments (view all 12 comments)
Construction started soon after the building permits were pulled in Sept. 1937. Do not go by “Motion Picture Almanac” and “Film Daily Yearbook” for these citations. Seating capacities are wrong 97% of the time and nailing down open/close dates by using those books is also very precarious. All they are good for is giving us a very ballpark idea of the existence of a theatre, and not much more than that. It’s a starting point for further research.
The December 18, 1937, issue of Boxoffice said that C. W. Kaake planned to open his new West Theatre on Christmas Day. The house had been designed by architect Perry Crosier. Kaake also operated the Doric Theatre.
To clarify, this theatre should be listed as either the Duluth Theatre (1966 on) or the West Theatre (1937 to 66 name). The name on this page’s header should be changed and eliminate the Spirit Valley. That was only an advertising gimmick tried by businesses in that area during the mid 1970’s and on. The theatre name never was officially changed. Crosier did a lot of theatres in MN and WIS in the late 30s, but I haven’t come across indications he did much work for the larger chains – he seemed to do work for independents and small local chains. The Paramount work around here was primarily done by Liebenberg & Kaplan. Kaake died in 1993.
May 2015: the building is for sale again, had a sign on it.
Photo added via Frank Thorne, likely post `60s.
Good news! This theater is newly remodeled and open again at the West Theater showing first run movies, classics and live entertainment.
www.westtheaterduluth.com.
Closed on December 6th, 1980 showing adult movies and sold in the classified ads the same day for $150,000.
closing ad:
Duluth Theatre up for sale. 06 Dec 1980, Sat The Duluth News Tribune (Duluth, Minnesota) Newspapers.com
The West theatre closed in 1954 and reopened on May 21st, 1959 and reopened as The Duluth theatre on June 15th, 1966 showing roadshow movies. Ads posted.
it became the Duluth Spirit Valley theatre on October 3rd, 1975, showing movies for 99 cents and closed in early 1977. Reopened in 1978 as an adult cinema called Duluth. Another ad posted.