Eastbrook Theatre
2525 Lake Eastbrook Boulevard SE,
Grand Rapids,
MI
49546
2525 Lake Eastbrook Boulevard SE,
Grand Rapids,
MI
49546
1 person
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: W.S. Butterfield Theaters Inc.
Firms: Crane, Kiehler & Kellogg
Nearby Theaters
Located on Lake Eastbrook at the Eastbrook Mall. It originally opened on August 25, 1967 with Walter Matthau in “A Guide for the Married Man”. Initially it was a single screen theatre. It was twinned on November 27, 1974, by dividing it down the middle. They failed to extend the projection booth and the projectors weren’t centered on the screens. It was annoying to the patrons because one edge was always slightly out of focus. The theatre closed on August 17, 1987 with Michael Keaton in “The Squeeze” & Robert De Nero in “The Mission” in screen 1 and Michael J. Fox in “The Secret of My Success” in screen 2.
It became Club Eastbrook. In 1993 it became a nightclub named the Orbit Room operated by Clear Channel. It was demolished in March 2023.
Contributed by
Chuck Van Bibber
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Recent comments (view all 10 comments)
This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in Grand Rapids: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1967-Present”.
It was converted into a live concert venue Club Eastbrook 1986-1993, prior to becoming The Orbit Room which closed in 2018. Confirmed Demolished 2023. Link with photos below.
https://wgrd.com/demolition-of-the-legendary-orbit-room-in-grand-rapids-has-begun/
Opened by Butterfield Theatres on August 25th, 1967. Grand opening ad posted.
Reopened as a poorly-split twin cinema according to Chuck Van Bibber on November 27th, 1974. Ad posted
Closed 1987.
Lead Architects: Crane, Kiehler & Kellogg of Detroit. They worked in conjunction with Eastbrook Mall architect Hornbach, Steenwyk, and Thrall of Grand Rapids who were the originators of the Mall and the outparcels' original layout. Ads for the 70mm presentations of “Gone with the Wind” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” are in photos.
The theater closed as a twin at the end of a 20-year lease. It reopened as Club Eastbrook, a live concert hall from October 12, 1998 to December 1, 1993. It then became the Orbit Room on February 20, 1994. it was closed permanently 15 years later just prior to a December 31, 2018 New Year’s Eve Show due to safety concerns. It sat vacant until the former theater was demolished in 2022 and 2023.
Grand opening ad:
Status should be demolished.
Correct. Demolished in March 2023. I posted this link with demolition story and photos that November..
https://wgrd.com/demolition-of-the-legendary-orbit-room-in-grand-rapids-has-begun/
Last operated by Kerasotes, closed on August 17, 1987 with “The Squeeze” and “The Mission” in Screen 1 and “Secret Of My Success” in Screen 2.