West Side Theater
5538 22nd Avenue,
Kenosha,
WI
53140
5538 22nd Avenue,
Kenosha,
WI
53140
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Kenosha’s forgotten West Side Theater was established in 1911 within a building owned by Edwin R. Gethen of Kenosha, who had purchased the property (described as the eastern 50 feet of Lots 9, 10, & 11 in Block 16 of Bain’s Subdivision) on August 21, 1903 from Frank Nelson. Well-known confectioner Jack Andrea opened a fruit store adjacent to the new theater. On November 21, 1912, Edwin and Julia A. Gethen sold the building to Dr. Giuseppe Germano of 2215 56th Street, who then relocated into an office within the theater building.
The date of the West Side Theater closing is unknown, as no more newspaper advertisements appeared in 1913. A 1914 Wright’s Kenosha Directory lists the theater space occupied by tailor Ernest Gianantonio. The building was demolished decades ago for street-widening and the site is a parking lot.
Contributed by
Louis Rugani
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The building dated to about 1910. The theatre proprietor remains unknown at this date. No ads were placed in 1913, and the 1914 Wright’s Kenosha Directory listed the space as occupied by tailor Ernest Gianantonio. Germano opened the Central Pharmacy on the corner space and it’s believed that for decades thereafter the former theatre space hosted a tavern. It’s now a parking lot. (Thanks to Al Westerman for his research on the West Side Theatre.)