Palace Theater
238 Walnut Street,
Spooner,
WI
54801
238 Walnut Street,
Spooner,
WI
54801
1 person
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The 1910’s era Palace Theatre #1 installed sound in 1928 to remain viable. It closed on June 19, 1940 with “The Farmer’s Daughter" after some 30 years of service. The equipment was undoubtedly moved to the larger, 700-seat New Palace Theatre which opened for Mr. Grengs on July 1, 1940 with “Typhoon.”
Palace Theatre #2 was denied its 80th birthday celebration to the COVID-19 pandemic. But under new operators, it continued with first-run Hollywood films beginning late in 2024.
This was likely a replacement of an earlier Palace Theatre which closed around the same time as the then-newer location. There was a statement from the Leader-Telegram of Eau Claire saying that Nick Grengs and his son Sheldon bought the older Palace Theatre in February 1933. Grengs later moved to Eau Claire in the mid-1940s.
The theater reopened recently:
Spooner, WI: Palace Theatre Now Open [Jan 19, 2025]
The theater has been purchased, and the new owners plan to reopen it.
Spooner, WI: Closed Since 2020, Palace Theatre Purchase Renews Hope of Reopening [Aug 26, 2024]
Final day of performances: March 16th, 2020. It was announced on its Facebook page on June 24th, 2021, they have no plans to reopen. Webshot posted.
The Palace Theater first opened its doors in 1939 and has been family owned and operated ever since.
Originally, the theater held only one screen. It was a show piece for the latest cinema productions of its time. The passing years brought many updates including a second auditorium and modern seating.
Film exhibition over the past 80 years hadn’t changed much until early 2000s when digital cinema came on to the market. By 2014, 35mm film was becoming obsolete so the theater launched a Kickstarter campaign. The campaign was a success so the theater was able to convert both projectors from 35mm film to digital. The sound and picture quality was dramatically improved and will allow the Palace to continue showing the best of Hollywood, in downtown Spooner, for many years to come!