Surf Theatre
7420 Collins Avenue,
Miami Beach,
FL
33141
7420 Collins Avenue,
Miami Beach,
FL
33141
4 people
favorited this theater
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Yes, Stage Door theater in Coral Springs Opened there until Dee passed in 2015. Her daughter ran the CS theater but it’s now defunct too.
Correction: Regal closed both the Loews Bay Harbor 4 and the Byron in 2000. Not 1999. Yes, the city of Miami Beach used the Byron for various live events from 2001 to 2011. In 2011, a Broward theater company signed a 5 year lease but the director passed in the 4th year of that lease. O Cinema came in in 2014 and signed a 5 year lease which was not renewed. The theater has been dormant since late 2019.
Aeterna yeah it was probably the first year I was there 94 when they had movies. The Byron Carlye was the theater I was thinking of. I saw Anger Management there. After Regal closed it it became a live theater and than a movie theater again but is probably closed now. I used to stay at the now demolished Deauville.
As I mentioned earlier, this became a Med Fit location by 1996. No movies or plays by that point. As to the Regal, that was the Loews Bay Harbor 4 which closed in 1999. There was no theater nearby other than the Byron Carlyle 7 which by that point (c. 1993 or 1994) was run By Cobb and closed by Regal in 1999. The Normandy closed in early 1989.
My first year there was 94 and the theater was open at least until the mid to last 90’s. They closed Regal opened a 4 screen theater around the corner. When it was a gym they kept videos and films on the screen while you worked out.
December 2022 street view shows the beach wear store going out of business as of then.
Updated: This became the RK (Ranaan Katz) Surf Cinema in the early 90’s when Katz purchased the property from Wometco. The last listings for any films that I have confirmed were from early 1993.The theater hosted some plays too throughout 1993 and part of 1994 but it seems by 1995 it was no longer being used for either films or live shows. By 1996, it became a Med Fit location and in subsequent years it functioned as the Condesa Gym for quite a long period as mentioned in the summary.
Yes the former Surf Theatre is currently a souvenir, t-shirt and beach accessories store called Surf 7420.
Last night I sat in the Subway restaurant across the street like I did two years ago as mentioned in my previous comment and enjoyed what they’ve done to the front of the building: red neon lights around the perimeter of the marquee with the name “Surf” in the middle, small white lights that look like neon from afar underneath the marquee illuminating the entrance, and twinkling lights around the edges of the poster boxes.
The spirit of all this felt to me like they had made some effort to honor the building’s former life as a cinema.
Inside the fully renovated interior I did not notice any trace of the theatre but there’s a ton of items to look at in there and the environment was pleasant. (Look up the address on Google Maps for interior/daytime exterior photos.)
The Surf is now a retail store selling beachwear and assorted beach themed items.
I visited North Beach on March 11, 2016. The doors to the Surf were papered over so the gym is apparently gone. (I Googled and found photos of what the interior looked like when it was Condesa gym.)
If you visit the Subway restaurant across the street and sit near the front window, you can enjoy a full view of the Surf and contemplate it as I did.
The inside of the nearby Normandy was under construction, with a table with blueprints laid out in the lobby.
Both theaters still have their marquees, which I hope are kept if the area is “revitalized” (which was somewhat dumpy).
The NRHP registration form for the North Shore Historic District (PDF here), which includes the Surf Theatre, says that the house was designed by architect Robert E. Collins, who also designed Herman Weingarten’s Cameo Theatre.
Thanks for this!
From the 1938 Film Daily:
WEINGARTEN TO BUILD
12 FLORIDA THEATERS
Miami Beach, Fla. — Herman Weingarten, of New York, has announced a program which will include the building of a circuit of 12 theaters in this area, at an investment of $1,250,000. Weingarten began con- struction several weeks ago of the first theater, the Cameo, in the pro- posed string, a $100,000 structure at Washington Ave. and Espanola Way. The second will be on Collins Ave. and is to be known as the Surf Theater.
During the past 25 years Weingarten has constructed some 40 theaters and continues to operate some of them in Brooklyn and Long Island.
Associated with Weingarten in his
building activities is his daughter
Miss Henrietta Weingarten.
aeterna, who was Weingarten?
The characteristic W logo that appeared under the old facade did not stand for Wometco but for Weingarten. This same W can be seen on the Cameo marquee in South Beach.
This is from the Condesa Gym Website that occupies the former theatre: ince Condesa Gym opened its doors in 1984 in Mexico City by owner Ricardo Roman the gym continued to grow in popularity. Roman knew it was time to open Condesa Gym in Miami. We believe that our membership is, and always has been different than at other gyms. Condesa Gym is like an extended “fitness family” than a traditional health club. A place that feels like home. In part, that’s because we’re owner-operated and have been since our beginnings in Mexico. It means we’re personally committed to deliver the ultimate fitness experience. We take your satisfaction very seriously. We have a commitment to our community, to our members, and to our staff. That commitment is the reason that we’re here and growing and it’s one of the best reasons for joining Condesa Gym.
At Condesa Gym we have all of the latest cardio and strength training equipment. As well as the most dynamic fitness classes that include Spinning, Body-Express, Zumba, Yoga, Tai-chi, Aerobics, Boot Camp and Many More. At Condesa you will find a supportive and energetic environment that will help you achieve your goals. Our trainers are the best in the business, they can help you get in shape, and they’ve helped everyone at Condesa Gym accomplish their dreams.
1949 photo added courtesy of the “I Grew Up in South Florida in the 60’s 70’s and 80’s” Facebook page.
It’s always sad to see iconic theatre houses like this perish. There’s nothing like watching beautiful films in big screens. It’s a movie experience like no other.
Mark, that is a re-opening ad. Seasonal operation was common then, although re-opening on the day Pearl Harbor was bombed was indeed unfortunate.
This opened on December 7th, 1941 ad is on this page at View link
1985 photo of the Surf here.
Maybe they feed you hot dogs while you work out.
This site shows a supermarket at the theater address, in the list at the bottom of the page:
http://allamericanhotdog.com/order2.html
The Surf gets ready to open in 1938. Although it is not identified as a Wometco Theatre yet, it already has a suspicious “W” out in front.
View link
I too saw A Delicate Balance there so many years ago.