Greer Theatre
108 N. Main Street,
Greer,
SC
29650
108 N. Main Street,
Greer,
SC
29650
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The Greer Theatre and the Grand Theatre were two different businesses, in separate locations, owned and operated by different people. Almost all of the attached pictures are connected to the other theater, the Grand, and are not related to the Greer Theatre.
The Grand Theatre was the first theater in the city of Greer. It opened before 1922 on East Poinsett Street (what was then called Hill Street). It was started by Charles Drace, a photographer from Pennsylvania who settled in Greer. After he died in 1928, his sons ran the business; Bill Drace was owner and manager for many decades following.
The Greer Theater started much later, roughly around 1940. The Grand was a very small and old theater; the Greer was much larger and, obviously, newer. Both were in business at the same time for at least two decades.
There were a few other theaters in Greer through the years; the most notable was the Rialto Theatre, located on Trade Street across from the train depot. The Grand was torn down long ago (I don’t know when, but more than 18 years ago); in its place is an alley, nestled between an ice cream shop and a coffeehouse. The Greer was torn down last year as part of a large construction project involving a new hotel and parking garage. The Rialto building remains, now home to a sports bar.
Still In Operation Since 1966 With A Mix Of A And B Movies.
This page has some photos of the Greer Theatre building taken after the theater was closed, and some reminiscences by former employee Don Fortner.
In the early 1940s, the Grand Theatre was operated by Bill Drace, who was a favorite of the editors of the trade journal Showmen’s Trade Review. The magazine published several items about his activities in 1941 and 1942, including a reproduction of three pages from the theater’s flyer, Grand Movie News, on this page of their October 3, 1942, issue.
Address: 108 North Main Street, Greer, SC
This page at Landmark Hunter says that Grand Theatre was another name for the Greer Theatre. There is a photo of the house as the Greer. Unless the town had two houses called the Grand, or two houses called the Greer, this page (or the Greer page) is redundant.