Iowana Theatre
312 E. Coolbaugh Street,
Red Oak,
IA
51566
312 E. Coolbaugh Street,
Red Oak,
IA
51566
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The Iowana Theatre opened on November 22, 1923 with 540-seats. Throughout its time, the Iowana Theatre was more popular for the city of Red Oak than the nearby Grand Theatre (opened in 1935 (It has its own page on Cinema Theatres). In September 1954, the Iowana Theatre installed CinemaScope. It was closed in December 1962. By 2015 it was operating as a women’s clothing store named Schweser’s.
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50sSnipes
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The 540-seat Iowana Theatre opened its doors on November 22, 1923 with Jackie Coogan in “Long Live The King” and Larry Simon in “Lightning Love” along with a newsreel. It was first managed by Ted Samuelson with music conducted by Julia Roemer. The original projectionist of the theater is Russell Hawkins.
Some information about the Iowana features two grace doors on each side of the ticket window leading to the foyer, golden lighting effects for entertaining purposes, and an estimate $45,000 in equipment and construction. Talkies were installed on May 9, 1929 (with “Syncopation”).
Shortly after the Grand Theatre installed CinemaScope in July 1954, the Iowana did its own CinemaScope installation in September 1954.
The Iowana closed for the final time in December 1962.
The Iowana Theatre does not appear in the FDY until the 1928 edition, which is also the last year a house called the Oak Theatre is listed (it was also listed in 1926 and 1927.) I’m wondering if Oak was an aka for the Iowana? The only other theater listed at Red Oak during that period is the Beardsley.
The Iowana was probably the proposed house noted in this item from the March 10, 1923 Motion Picture News: “It is announced that A. H. Blank, of Des Moines and Omaha, will build a new theatre in Red Oak, Iowa.”
The building was constructed in 1902, after a fire destroyed most of the south side of the square. The NRHP listing has a theater here from 1924, although it’s a bit confused since each half was originally its own space. It seems as if the theater may have started at 312 (the west half), in 1924, and by 1927 been expanded to include 314 as well. The history makes no mention of an Oak Theater, under any address.
Schweser’s was a Midwestern chain of small department stores, not women’s boutiques. They may have been responsible for the unattractive 1971 storefront. The chain has been defunct for some time. This is now a dance studio.