Taos Plaza Theatre
116 S. Plaza,
Taos,
NM
87571
116 S. Plaza,
Taos,
NM
87571
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The Taos Amusement Company decided to replace the aged Montaner Theater with a new-build facility. Owner Jack Brandenburg had the Burch Motor Company garage building demolished in 1937 for the new venue. Tjalke Charles Gaastra was the architect with his Spanish Colonial plans matching the existing adobe structures as shown in 1937 (see photos).
The theatre opened in 1938 - perhaps as the Taos Theatre or the New Montaner (as listed in the trade press). But it definitely was named the Taos Theatre throughout the 1940s before morphing to the Taos Plaza Theatre. Trans-Lux closed the venue as the Taos Plaza Theatre on September 6, 1993 with Angela Basset in “What’s Love Got to Do With It” and JCVD in “Hard Target.” On that date, you had a choice of paying $5 to see the films or $350,005 to see the film and own the theater, as well, at 116 South Plaza. The Adobe styled venue was retrofitted for retail purposes and served as the home to Rick’s Trading Post for a number of years.
Boxoffice, April 6, 1957: “William J. Buetler has taken over full operation of the Raos (sic), Taos, N. M. His father, the late Floyd Beutler, had owned half of the theatre, and Jack Brandenberg has sold the other half to the son.”
Boxoffice, Dec. 21, 1959: “Bud Howell has purchased the Taos (N.M.) Theatre from William Butler.”