Granada Theatre
2819 Church Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11226
2819 Church Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11226
3 people
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Liggett-Florin Booking Service, Rugoff & Becker
Architects: B. Driesler, George W. Rappold
Previous Names: Filmland Theatre, Crescent Theatre, Avoca Villa Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The Airdome was opened at this address in 1921. It was designed by architect Edward F. Mau.
In 1925, the Filmland Theatre opened on the site which stood at the intersection of Nostrand Avenue and Church Avenue. It was built by the Filmland Players Inc. and was to be the first in a proposed chain of movie theatres. It was designed by architect George W. Rappold. It was equipped with a Welte organ.
In 1929 it was renamed Crescent Theatre and a Justin Kramer 2 manual 8 ranks organ was installed. Alterations were carried out in 1930 to the plans of architect B. Driesler, with interior decorations by Rambush. On December 22, 1929 it was renamed Avoca Villa Theatre and was equipped with a Western Electric sound system. It had a huge marquee and was a single-level house, which was sub-run for years. In 1931 it was renamed Granada Theatre when it was taken over by the Rugoff & Becker chain. By 1957 it was operated by Liggett-Florin Booking Service.
The Golden Theater chain took it over in the early-1970’s, and turned its declining fortune around as a dollar theatre. Later it ran second-run double features and some first run.
Finally it ran action and blaxploitation before closing. It was retrofitted as a Pioneer Supermarket, followed by a Rite-Aid which was still open in 2019, but had closed by 2020 and the building is still shuttered in 2025.
Contributed by
philipgoldberg, J.F. Lundy
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Recent comments (view all 60 comments)
That picture of the Granada Theatre is not on this website, it’s actually in the archives of the Theatre Historical Society of America as part of the Edward T. Gibbs Collection.
Uploaded a picture from the American Classic images collection.
50 years ago, today… I was sittings myself down to see Walt Disney’s first run The Jungle Book", here at the Granada Theatre. It was a Saturday and doors opened early on the second day (Saturday) at 10:30 AM. The 2nd feature was “Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar”. I was and still am 11 in mind. Envisionment is a wonderful thing! Happy Holidays and Season’s Greetings….
My name is Linda Breuer Lissman. My father owner the Granada Theatre until his death in l965. I have very fond memories, spending many Saturdays there. I remember Joe Coppolino. My father was very fond of him.
Will the person who has the negtives of pictures of the Granada Theatre please get in touch with me. My father owned the Granada until his death in l965. Linda Breuer Lissman lskliss@yahoo.com
Orlando, if you worked at the Granada Theatre from l960 you knew my father, Erwin Breuer. On many Saturdays I worked behind the candy stand. I remember those matinees. The candy stand was jumping. Linda Breuer Lissman lskliss@yahoo.com
As a child and preteen I lived in that neighborhood and went to the Granada on many a Saturday afternoon. Always the double feature, maybe a newsreal, the races ..the Saturday Kiddie Matinee’s. I also remember the incentives offered for weekday nights ..towels, dishes etc..to get the ladies in. Across the street but fairly close was a woolworth’s. Candy was 6 for 25 cents. It was a lot less then in the theatre..but if we bought the candy at woolworth’s we usually had enough money to get a box of bon bons ice cream. I also remember there was a small chinese restaurant either nextdoor to the theatre of a store or two away. My friend Robert Dong lived there ..his sister and brother in law owned the restaurant… I am 71 now..and yet I still remember all of us kids walking over to the theatre for our Sat. matinee’s…I also remember a green grocer on the corner of Nostrand and Church..and big wooden barrels..some had pickles and some had nut in shells..and the trolley with the electric wire overhead..lots of good memories..
The Avoca Villa Theatre was formerly known as the Crescent Theatre according to a 1929 ad.
My dad managed the Granada in the early 70s, after working at the Century circuit all over Brooklyn for 15 years. He died suddenly in 1974.
This response is for jbltraveler on October 14th, 2021, a little late on the response but I had the pleasure of working with your father at the Granada Theatre from 1970-early 1974 when he passed. For four years under his guidance during my tenure at Erasmus Hall High School and working first as a telephone answerer when the box-office was busy which seemed like every weekend. He taught me valuable lessons as a teenager that stayed with me all my life. He told me about Century Theatres and actually called some Century Theatres for passes for myself. Early on, I weaseled my way to change the lobby posters every week for four years. Mr. L. liked that because that meant that he didn’t have to do it. The Granada had 8 poster cases, 3 outside 2 Now Showing facing street and one with 8 color 8x10 stills which faced the cashier’s box-office. In the lobby, 4 poster cases with 2 for the Next Attraction/Starts Wednesday (inside by front doors) and 2 for Coming Soon. The 8th poster case was to the left of the candy stand which had the Movie Ratings Poster. In 1968, it was G, M, R (under 16) and X (under 16, Later 17). Besides that I worked doorman, usher, candy stand on Friday Eve and Sat and Sun Matinees and I used to hang out after school and Sat and Sun eves. On Sunday Matinee your dad came in a little later 3 PM. If you ever read this post, I still live in Flatbush Brooklyn and I believe Mr. L lived either on Ocean Avenue or Ocean Pkwy. All the ushers and staff attended his funeral, he was well loved.