Boyd Art Theatre

800 Welsh Street,
Chester, PA 19013

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Boyd Theater Circuit

Architects: Paul J. Henon, Jr., William H. Hoffman

Firms: Hoffman-Henon Co.

Functions: Ballroom, Banquet Hall, Religious Services

Styles: Art Deco

Previous Names: Boyd Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Boyd Theater

The Boyd Theatre opened on Thanksgiving Day (November 28), 1934 with Will Rogers in “Judge Priest”.

The Boyd Theatre went over to screening adult movies in the 1970’s and closed in early-1980. It was sold for $37,500 on January 27, 1991 and became a church. In 2015 it became the Sanai Dior Ballroom & Wedding Chapel.

Contributed by George Quirk

Recent comments (view all 12 comments)

teecee
teecee on February 23, 2005 at 9:17 pm

Yes, I imagine with the tall marquee that you could see it from quite a distance. Old photos here: (DON’T try to expand photos)

View link

teecee
teecee on February 26, 2005 at 8:28 am

Same photos, only larger, at this site:

http://www.oldchesterpa.com/theatres_boyd.htm

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on April 21, 2006 at 3:17 pm

The Boyd was a church as of 1994, as was the Roxy in Chester.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on July 29, 2007 at 9:28 pm

This article from the Delaware County Daily Times dated 7/10/70 announced the closing of the Boyd:
http://tinyurl.com/3c262d
http://tinyurl.com/33t9ec

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 27, 2007 at 9:13 pm

The 1963 motion picture almanac lists A.R. Boyd Theaters, 1530 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, as operators of the Boyd in Chester. A.R. Boyd, president, also operated the Boyd in Allentown, the Boyd and College in Bethlehem, the Boyd in Easton and the Boyd in Lancaster. His apparent megalomania brings to mind the words of Ozymandias, “Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair”.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on June 14, 2009 at 9:01 am

Here is a November 1928 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/mver9b

ronnie21
ronnie21 on June 19, 2010 at 2:22 am

i work with someone who claims that pornos were last being shown here in 78/79 before closing…

rivest266
rivest266 on October 6, 2011 at 1:23 pm

This opened on November 28th, 1934. The grand opening ad can be found in the photo section for this theatre.

ronnie21
ronnie21 on February 5, 2012 at 7:25 am

Yeah. alot of porn played here in the 70’s.

ronnie21
ronnie21 on June 19, 2018 at 5:32 pm

according, to this guy on facebook, the boyd closed in early 1980…

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